MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A fourth person has died in connection with Legionnaires’ disease in Manhattan, according to the city’s health department.

The first reported death in relation to the Legionnaires cluster on the Upper East Side was reported on Friday.

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Soon thereafter, the health department announced two more deaths on Saturday and Sunday.

Attorney Ron Katter represents the widow of an 88-year-old businessman and Air Force Veteran, who died after a two-week battle with Legionnaires’ Disease. 

Katter told PIX 11 News the man lived in the East 70’s near York Avenue and was found sick on July 2nd by his wife.

Katter said, “She had gone to take care of an errand and left him sitting in his apartment, next to an open window, reading a magazine, paying his bills. And when she returned, he wasn’t feeling well and he had a very high fever of 104 degrees.”

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Katter plans to sue the owner of the cooling tower when the city health department determines exactly which one is responsible for the active Legionella bacteria that made people sick. Katter said “it’s as if they were dispersing a poisonous gas from the roof of their building. That’s what it is.”

On Monday, Mayor Mamdani said, “we believe that we have now eliminated the source of exposure.”

As of Monday, seven people were still hospitalized with the disease and 76 total cases have been reported.

Officials encourage anyone who lives in or has spent time in ZIP codes 10028, 10075 and 10128 to seek immediate medical attention if they develop flu-like symptoms.

The Health Department will continue to inspect every cooling tower that tested positive for Legionella bacteria.

Spencer Gustafson is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered New York state and city news since 2023. See more of his work here.

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