Two residents of the North Shore Towers in Queens were diagnosed with Legionnaires\u2019 disease, prompting an investigation by New York City\u2019s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.<\/p>\n
Chantal Gomez, a department spokesperson, said the agency began distributing letters to residents on Friday evening about the cases. The notices advise those who smoke, have chronic respiratory issues or are over the age of 50 to avoid taking showers in their apartments to reduce the risk of inhaling mist.<\/p>\n
The North Shore Tower cases follow two deadly outbreaks of Legionnaires\u2019 disease this summer on the Upper East Side<\/a> that killed 11 and another in the South Bronx that killed two people. Unlike the two new isolated infections in Queens, the neighborhood-wide outbreaks in Manhattan and the Bronx<\/a> were linked to rooftop cooling towers that spread bacteria around the neighborhood as they blew out water vapor, according to health officials.<\/p>\n A small number of Legionnaires\u2019 cases each year are caused by plumbing systems and spread through showerheads and faucets. Bacteria can grow to dangerous levels if the water in a building\u2019s plumbing system remains warm or stagnant.<\/p>\n Gomez said inspectors have not yet confirmed the presence of Legionella bacteria in the building\u2019s plumbing.<\/p>\n The health department urged residents to seek medical attention if they experience flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, muscle aches or cough.<\/p>\n If inhaled, water vapor contaminated with Legionella bacteria can lead to Legionnaires\u2019 disease. Health officials emphasized that it is safe to drink water in the building and that the disease does not spread between people.<\/p>\n The letter from the health department states that most people are unlikely to get sick. Gomez also said that there is \u201cno risk to the surrounding community.\u201d<\/p>\n The number of Legionnaires\u2019 disease cases has increased by tenfold in the U.S. over the past 20 years, according to some estimates. New York City had double the number of cases in 2025 compared to the previous year.<\/p>\n