A second person has died in the ongoing legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York City, health officials announced on Saturday, July 19, 2026. The outbreak has sickened at least 72 people, including nine currently hospitalized and 50 discharged.

The New York City health department did not release details about the identity, age, or illness timeline of the second victim, similar to the first death announced on Friday in Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

Tests found living or dead Legionella bacteria in cooling towers on more than 75 buildings in the Upper East Side. City officials responded by directing all buildings with positive test results to immediately clean and disinfect their cooling towers, a process that has been completed. Cooling tower operators across the city were also reminded to increase the use of biocides during the summer to kill Legionella bacteria.

Dr. Alister F Martin, New York City health commissioner, stated there is “encouraging” data indicating that an aggressive strategy of testing, enforcement, and remediation targeting air-conditioning systems atop large buildings appears to have stopped the source of exposure.

Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia, was first identified after a 1976 outbreak in Philadelphia affecting attendees of an American Legion convention. The disease is treatable but has a mortality rate of about 10%, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

City officials began taking measures after two cases were confirmed on July 2, 2026.

Sources