5th Person Dies After a Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak Sickens Dozens in New York City

This 1978 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows Legionella pneumophila bacteria which are responsible for causing the pneumonic disease Legionnaires’ disease. Francis Chandler/CDC via AP

An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in New York City has killed three people and sickened more than five dozen since late July.

City health officials link the Central Harlem outbreak to cooling towers, structures containing water and a fan that are used to cool buildings. They said 11 of these towers initially tested positive for a type of bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, but the problem has been remedied.