{"id":14221,"date":"2026-07-23T04:00:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T23:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=14221"},"modified":"2026-07-23T04:00:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T23:00:42","slug":"new-york-city-legionnaires-disease-outbreak-kills-5-and-sickens-82","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=14221","title":{"rendered":"New York City Legionnaires&#8217; disease outbreak kills 5 and sickens 82"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">As <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_health_article_main-content_article-body_6_2439703\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/new-york-city\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New York City<\/a> continues to investigate an outbreak of Legionnaires&#8217; disease that has claimed multiple lives and sickened dozens of people, doctors say there are ways people can reduce the risk of exposure.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">As of July 21, there have been five deaths and 82 diagnoses linked to the Upper East Side outbreak, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Eight patients remain hospitalized.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Health officials said no new cases had been reported in the previous six days, suggesting the source of exposure has likely been eliminated, although the investigation remains ongoing.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_health_article_main-content_article-body_6_2439704\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/health\/nyc-legionnaires-disease-outbreak-kills-fourth-victim-76-cases-reported\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>NYC LEGIONNAIRES&#8217; DISEASE OUTBREAK KILLS FOURTH VICTIM, 76 CASES REPORTED<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Legionnaires\u2019 disease is a serious type of pneumonia that is typically spread by tiny water droplets containing <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_health_article_main-content_article-body_6_2439705\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/science\/wild-nature\/bacteria\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Legionella bacteria<\/a>, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/343\/192\/legionnaires-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/686\/384\/legionnaires-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/672\/378\/legionnaires-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1344\/756\/legionnaires-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/931\/523\/legionnaires-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1862\/1046\/legionnaires-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/720\/405\/legionnaires-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1440\/810\/legionnaires-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1200\/675\/legionnaires-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Doctor examining a senior woman at home\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>As New York City continues to investigate an outbreak of Legionnaires&#8217; disease that has claimed multiple lives and sickened dozens of people, doctors say there are ways people can reduce the risk of exposure.<\/span> <span>(iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 data-layout-index=\"5\">Sources of exposure<\/h2>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Common sources of infection include contaminated <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_health_article_main-content_article-body_6_2439706\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/environment\/water\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">building water systems<\/a>, such as cooling towers (large structures that remove heat from water used in building cooling systems), hot tubs or plumbing. Cases have also been reported on cruise ships and in spas. It is not generally spread from person to person, per the CDC.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;We get infected when it gets aerosolized in the water droplets, usually, and we breathe those droplets in,&#8221; &#8220;Dr. Dana Mordue, associate professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology at New York Medical College, told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_health_article_main-content_article-body_6_2439707\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/nyc-health-officials-warn-central-park-visitors-legionnaires-outbreak-grows-upper-east-side\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>NYC HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN CENTRAL PARK VISITORS AFTER LEGIONNAIRES\u2019 OUTBREAK GROWS ON UPPER EAST SIDE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;You can also <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_health_article_main-content_article-body_6_2439708\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/health\/infectious-disease\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">get infected<\/a> if you have water that&#8217;s been contaminated and you aspirate it and swallow it into your lungs, but most often you get it from air droplets that are contaminated from various types of water sources.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/343\/192\/legionnaires-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/686\/384\/legionnaires-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/672\/378\/legionnaires-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1344\/756\/legionnaires-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/931\/523\/legionnaires-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1862\/1046\/legionnaires-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/720\/405\/legionnaires-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1440\/810\/legionnaires-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1200\/675\/legionnaires-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"microscopic magnification Legionella pneumophila, Gram-negative bacillus that causes pneumonia. 3d illustration\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Legionnaires\u2019 disease is a serious type of pneumonia that is typically spread by tiny water droplets containing Legionella bacteria.<\/span> <span>(iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Although it is possible to contract Legionnaires\u2019 in the home, outbreaks are almost always linked to exposure to water droplets coming from a water system in a &#8220;commercial-type building,&#8221; according to Mordue.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;The good news is you usually don&#8217;t get it from the types of cooling systems that we have in our cars or our homes \u2014 but if you don&#8217;t clean your humidifiers, technically any water source can get contaminated with Legionella.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 data-layout-index=\"5\">Symptoms and treatment<\/h2>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The most widespread symptoms of Legionnaires&#8217; disease include cough, <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_health_article_main-content_article-body_6_2439709\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/health\/respiratory-health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">shortness of breath<\/a>, fever, muscle aches and headaches, per the CDC. Some people may also experience diarrhea, nausea and confusion.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Symptoms typically begin 2 to 14 days after exposure to the bacteria, although they can appear later. The illness often requires <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_health_article_main-content_article-body_6_2439710\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/health\/healthy-living\/medications\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">treatment with antibiotics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/343\/192\/legionnaires-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/686\/384\/legionnaires-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/672\/378\/legionnaires-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1344\/756\/legionnaires-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/931\/523\/legionnaires-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1862\/1046\/legionnaires-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/720\/405\/legionnaires-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1440\/810\/legionnaires-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1200\/675\/legionnaires-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"senior man with wife at home coughing badly\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>The most widespread symptoms of Legionnaires&#8217; disease include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches, per the CDC.\u00a0<\/span> <span>(iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;The mortality rate is not particularly high for this disease if you are immune-competent and young and healthy,&#8221; said Mordue.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Risk is higher for <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_health_article_main-content_article-body_6_2439711\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/health\/geriatric-health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">older adults<\/a>, smokers and people with compromised immune systems \u2014 &#8220;a lot of the same risk factors you might see for COVID,&#8221; the doctor noted.<\/p>\n<h2 data-layout-index=\"5\">Ways to prevent spread<\/h2>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The CDC shares the following measures to prevent the spread of Legionnaires\u2019 disease.<\/p>\n<ul data-layout-index=\"5\">\n<li><strong>Maintain building water systems. <\/strong>Comprehensive water management programs can prevent <a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.com\/category\/science\/wild-nature\/bacteria\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Legionella bacteria<\/a> from growing in cooling towers, plumbing systems, hot tubs and other building water systems. The CDC estimates that nearly nine in 10 outbreaks could have been prevented with more effective water management.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Clean and disinfect cooling towers. <\/strong>These structures should be routinely cleaned, monitored and disinfected to control bacteria growth, health officials recommend.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Prevent stagnant water.<\/strong> Maintaining proper water flow and flushing any pipes that are infrequently used can help prevent Legionella from multiplying.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Maintain proper water temperature and disinfectant levels. <\/strong>As Legionella is known to grow best in warm water (about 77\u00b0F to 113\u00b0F), maintaining appropriate temperatures and adequate disinfectant levels helps limit bacterial growth, the CDC says.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">For anyone who may have been exposed and develops symptoms, it is important to seek immediate <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_health_article_main-content_article-body_6_2439713\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/health\/health-care\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">medical care<\/a>, doctors say. Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment can reduce the risk of severe illness.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;If you have certain risk factors, particularly advanced age, get help as quickly as you can,&#8221; Mordue advised.<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p>Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! As New York City continues to investigate an outbreak of Legionnaires&#8217; disease that has claimed multiple lives and sickened dozens of people, doctors say there are ways people can reduce the risk of exposure. As of July 21, there have been five deaths and 82 diagnoses linked&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/legionnaires-3.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14221"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14221\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}