Daijiworld Media Network- New York

New York, Aug 20: The Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Central Harlem has claimed its fifth life, with the number of confirmed cases rising to 108, health officials confirmed on Monday.

The outbreak, which began in late July, was traced to 12 cooling towers across 10 buildings, including a hospital and a sexual health clinic. All affected towers have been cleaned or fully remediated.

By August 14, the tally had reached 92 cases and three deaths. Within days, the figures climbed to 108 infections, 14 hospitalisations, and five deaths, following further investigation.

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria. Symptoms generally appear within 2 to 10 days of exposure and include cough, fever, chills, headaches, muscle pain, shortness of breath, and in some cases, nausea or diarrhoea.

Officials confirmed that antibiotics are effective when treatment is started early. The outbreak continues to be closely monitored.