A third person has died from Legionnaires’ disease after New York City health officials said they believe the source of the outbreak was eradicated in Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
Over 70 cases have been identified so far in the community cluster as the city Health department warned locals and those who have visited to keep an eye out for flu-like symptoms.
Here’s the latest on the outbreak.
Latest on Legionnaires’ disease in Manhattan
As of July 19, 74 cases of the disease have been reported to officials, with eight currently hospitalized. Another 50 cases were hospitalized but later discharged.
The news of the deaths came as city officials have said cases are slowing and the source is seemingly eradicated. Just days ago, the agency reported dozens of addresses where the Legionella bacteria was found in cooling towers.
“We believe the source of exposure has likely been eliminated due to our aggressive remediation and enforcement efforts,” the agency wrote Sunday. “We will continue inspecting every cooling tower that tested positive and will hold accountable any owner who fails to comply with our publichealth laws.”
The Health department also said on Sunday that they “have not identified anyone with new symptoms for more than a week,” and that they would not be releasing additional information on the person who had died.
What are the affected ZIP codes for Legionnaires’ disease in NYC?
The affected ZIP codes of the cluster include 10028, 10128 and 10075, located in the neighborhoods of Carnegie Hill and Yorkville.
What are the symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease?
Those who were in the area are encouraged to look out for flu-like symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic, Legionnaires’ disease can present itself in the following ways:
headaches and muscle aches
coughing and shortness of breath
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Latest on NYC’s Legionnaires’ disease outbreak as third person dies