MANHATTAN — Two people have died in connection with a Legionnaires' disease outbreak on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The New York City Health Department announced the second death on Saturday, July 19, 2026.

Nine people remained hospitalized in connection with the outbreak as of July 19, 2026. More than 50 people required hospitalization during the outbreak.

All victims of the outbreak are located in the Carnegie Hill and Yorkville neighborhoods of the East Side. Dr. Alister F. Martin is the New York City Health Commissioner.

"We are heartbroken to learn that another New Yorker has lost their life to Legionnaires’ disease on the Upper East Side. Our deepest condolences are with their loved ones as they grieve," Dr. Alister F. Martin said. City officials have not released information about the identities of the deceased or the specific buildings where they lived.

The outbreak was first identified on July 2, 2026. Health officials reported an average of more than eight new cases per day during the first week of the investigation from July 2 through July 8.

"While we mourn this loss, the data are also encouraging. Our aggressive strategy of testing, enforcement, and remediation appears to have stopped the source of exposure," he said. The health department tested 183 cooling tower systems in the zone and completed all initial PCR screenings. Legionella bacteria were detected in cooling towers at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The health department ordered 76 buildings with cooling towers in ZIP codes 10028, 10075, and 10128 that tested positive for Legionella bacteria to clean and disinfect their systems. All 76 buildings completed the required remediation by July 16, 2026.

"We directed every building with an initial positive test result to immediately clean and disinfect its cooling tower, and every one has completed that work," he said. Legionnaires' disease is a form of severe pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.

The illness is treatable with antibiotics. Legionnaires' disease is not contagious and does not spread from person to person.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 10% of people with Legionnaires' disease will die due to complications. People at increased risk for Legionnaires' disease include adults aged 50 and older, smokers, people with chronic lung disease, and people with weakened immune systems. Seven people died and more than 100 were sickened during a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Harlem last year.

The outbreak on the East Side represents a significant public health event in one of Manhattan's most densely populated residential areas. The identification of the bacteria in major cultural institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum, shows the potential for widespread exposure in high-traffic public spaces.

The health department's response involved the testing of 183 cooling tower systems and the mandatory remediation of 76 buildings. The decline in daily new cases from an average of more than eight to fewer than one suggests that the enforcement and cleaning protocols may have contained the source of the bacteria. This incident follows a separate outbreak in Harlem the previous year that resulted in seven deaths and more than 100 illnesses, indicating an ongoing challenge with Legionella bacteria in the city's infrastructure.