An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York City has killed a fourth person, with 76 cases now reported. Health authorities have linked the outbreak to contaminated cooling towers in buildings on the Upper East Side.
Sixty people have been hospitalized. The disease, a severe form of pneumonia, is caused by Legionella bacteria. Officials discovered the outbreak on July 2.
After testing 180 cooling towers, the city found bacteria in 31 buildings, including the one housing the Guggenheim Museum. Those buildings have been ordered to deep clean their systems.
Symptoms include fever, chills, and shortness of breath, appearing two to 14 days after exposure. The city notes the bacteria is not spread person-to-person.
Public testing is ongoing. The last major NYC outbreak was in Harlem in 2025.