UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) — The household of an 88-year-old Higher East Aspect man who died after contracting Legionnaires’ illness is blaming the proprietor of a constructing linked to the outbreak, alleging the property’s cooling tower was not correctly maintained.
He’s one in every of three individuals who have died in connection to the outbreak.
Talking by an lawyer, the household mentioned the sufferer was an Air Pressure veteran who had been married for 50 years. His spouse discovered him affected by a fever close to an open window of their Yorkville residence on July 2. After spending two weeks in intensive care, he died Friday.
“He was intubated and on a respirator, additionally bedside dialysis,” lawyer Ron Ketter mentioned. “Intravenous antibiotics and I believe they have been even monitoring his brainwaves.”
The person’s demise comes as well being officers proceed investigating the supply of the Legionnaires’ illness cluster on the Higher East Aspect. Authorities have been testing cooling towers all through the world, together with one on the Metropolitan Museum of Artwork that examined constructive for Legionella micro organism.
Up to now, 74 individuals have been recognized with Legionnaires’ illness for the reason that outbreak was first recognized. Eight sufferers stay hospitalized.
The outbreak has been concentrated in ZIP codes 10128, 10028 and 10075. Town’s Well being Division is urging anybody experiencing flu-like signs to hunt medical consideration. Signs can seem as much as 14 days after publicity to the micro organism.
Officers mentioned no new instances have been linked to the outbreak in additional than every week and imagine the supply of publicity has been eradicated, although the investigation stays ongoing.
Legionnaires’ illness is a extreme type of pneumonia attributable to Legionella micro organism, which may unfold by contaminated water techniques, together with cooling towers. Older adults and other people with weakened immune techniques are at higher danger of growing critical sickness.
———-
* Get Eyewitness Information Delivered
* Extra New York Metropolis information
* Obtain the abc7NY app for breaking information alerts
Submit a tip or story concept to Eyewitness Information
Have a breaking information tip or an concept for a narrative we should always cowl? Ship it to Eyewitness Information utilizing the shape beneath. If attaching a video or photograph, phrases of use apply.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
