Two structures in New York City were the source of the Legionnaires' disease outbreak during the summer.

In a recent development, New York City has been grappling with a significant outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Harlem. The outbreak, which has infected 114 people, hospitalized 90, and tragically claimed seven lives, has sparked a series of investigations and measures to enhance the city's cooling tower inspections and testing.

The source of the outbreak was identified as a city hospital at 506 Lenox Ave. (Harlem Hospital) and a city-managed construction site at 40 West 137th St. Both identified buildings have been remediated and sanitized their cooling towers. However, concerns have been raised about the regularity of Legionella testing at these sites and others, following an analysis that revealed the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) has lost more than a third of its cooling tower inspectors in the past three years, despite a boost in funding for the unit.

Mayor Eric Adams' administration, led by Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan and Buildings Commissioner Melanie La Rocca, has announced plans to address these staff shortages by hiring more water ecologists. However, details on the increased budget for staff vacancies have not been provided.

In response to the outbreak, the city plans to conduct a review of its cooling tower management programs. Building owners will also be required to test every 30 days instead of the currently required 90 days. Fines for building owners who fail to regularly test for Legionella bacteria will be increased.

Following the outbreak, Harlem Hospital was found to be in compliance with rules requiring it to submit Legionella testing samples every three months. However, the construction site at 40 West 137th St., overseen by the NYC Economic Development Corporation and the construction contractor Skanska USA, has no records of Legionella testing or city inspections, according to public data. Deputy Commissioner Corinne Schiff stated that she is unsure if the construction site had conducted regular Legionella testing.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called for an independent investigation of the city's handling of the outbreak. Chris Boyd, a former assistant commissioner at the health department, stated that the outbreak was preventable. The health department is working with both buildings to develop long-term management programs to protect the health of Harlem residents.

As the city moves forward, it is crucial to ensure that all buildings, including hospitals and construction sites, are held accountable for regular Legionella testing and that staff shortages are addressed to prevent future outbreaks.

Two structures in New York City were the source of the Legionnaires' disease outbreak during the summer.