5 Dead, 108 Sickened in N.Y.C. Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak
NEED TO KNOW
The death toll in New York's ongoing Legionnaires' disease outbreak has been updated to five, as 14 people remain hospitalized and 108 are diagnosed with the severe pneumonia
Residents in Central Harlem are asking 'who dropped the ball?'
The city's health department said all the impacted buildings "have completed the treatment required"
The death toll in New York's ongoing outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Central Harlem has risen to five, as more people continue to be diagnosed with the severe pneumonia.
Officials confirmed a previous death had been caused by the airborne bacteria, according to local outlet Gothamist, saying that the casualties now equal those from a 2022 outbreak at a nursing home. There are also 108 confirmed cases of the respiratory illnesses, and 14 people hospitalized, according to the most recent statement from New York City Department of Health.
Legionnaires' disease is a type of serious pneumonia that's contracted by inhaling mist that contains Legionella bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The sources of this outbreak have been identified as 12 cooling towers for 10 separate buildings — but all towers 'have completed the treatment required by the Health Department. We are continuing to monitor and let buildings know if additional treatment is needed,' the officials said.
Cooling towers are often a source of Legionnaires' disease outbreaks because they're filled with water, John Hopkins Medicine explains: 'If not properly maintained, the water can foster Legionella bacteria, which can then be swept into the system's fans and circulated throughout the building's air."
Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease can include a cough, fever, headaches, shortness of breath and nausea, and can be treated with antibiotics, but in serious cases, it can lead to lung failure and death.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Residents in the affected areas spoke out about the city's delay in releasing the addresses of the impacted buildings; 'We did not want people to think, well, I don't live there, I don't have to worry,' Health Commissioner Michelle Morse said, per the New York Post.
But Nichole Ingram, a resident who was sickened with Legionnaires' after attending a funeral in an impacted building — and whose son was hospitalized for the illness— told the outlet, 'Why weren't these cooling towers properly maintained? Who dropped the ball and why?'
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Californian tests positive for plague after camping in Lake Tahoe area
A California resident tested positive for plague, health officials said. 'The individual is currently under the care of a medical professional and is recovering at home,' El Dorado County officials said in a news release. 'It's believed that the person may have been bitten by an infected flea while camping in South Lake Tahoe area. Health officials are investigating the situation.' The county said it had notified the California Department of Public Health about the case. No other information about the person or their condition was released. Plague is caused by bacteria from bites from fleas that picked up the bacteria from a rodent. However, household pets can bring plague-infected fleas into homes. Human cases of plague are very rare, but can be very serious. Symptoms usually appear following exposure to an infected animal or flea and can include fever, nausea, weakness, swollen lymph nodes or worse. A person in northern Arizona died last month from the plague. At least 15 people have died from plague since 2000, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show. However, the disease can be treated effectively with antibiotics if it's diagnosed early. 'Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County,' Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado County's acting director of public health, said in the news release. 'It's important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and or camping in areas where wild rodents are present.' _____
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Surf Bio Announces Peer-Reviewed Publication Demonstrating Feasibility of Subcutaneous Delivery of Ultra-Concentrated Biologics
Research conducted by Stanford University and published in Science Translational Medicine shows successful injection of protein formulations exceeding 500 mg/mL PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Surf Bio, a biopharmaceutical company transforming the delivery of antibodies and biologics, announced today that a peer-reviewed study conducted by researchers at Stanford University and published in Science Translational Medicine has demonstrated the feasibility of reformulating biologics for subcutaneous delivery at ultra-high concentrations. The study's lead author, Carolyn Jons, Ph.D., and collaborators reported that spray-dried microparticle formulations surpassed 500 mg/mL and were delivered through a standard 27-gauge needle at clinically relevant forces, marking a potential breakthrough in expanding access to infusion-only therapies. The paper, entitled, "Glassy Surfactants Enable Ultra-High Concentration Biologic Therapeutics," may be accessed via the following URL: "The research addresses one of the most persistent challenges in drug delivery: how to administer high-dose biologic therapies without the need for intravenous infusion," stated Dr. Jons. "Many existing protein-based therapies require hospital or clinic-based infusions due to their large volume, instability, or reconstitution requirements. This study describes a spray-drying process that converts protein formulations into microparticles suspended in a non-solvent liquid carrier, resulting in a stable, ready-to-inject solution that meets the viscosity and force thresholds for subcutaneous administration." "This research provides a critical foundation for our work at Surf Bio and highlights the significant potential of our SnapShot™ technology," said Bryan Mazlish, CEO of Surf Bio. "We're leveraging this licensed platform to help unlock subcutaneous administration for therapies that have historically required IV infusion. Our goal is to translate this innovation into ready-to-inject, patient-friendly formulations that reduce burden on the healthcare system while enabling self-administration at home." Importantly, the platform utilizes a polymer excipient that improves stability during spray drying and enhances the injectability of the final formulation. In preclinical models, these microparticles were shown to maintain protein activity and structure, achieving doses well beyond those currently accessible with drug products approved for subcutaneous delivery. The technology does not require any specialized delivery device and can be used with commercially available autoinjectors and standard fill-finish processes. About Surf Bio:Surf Bio is a biopharmaceutical company transforming the delivery of antibodies and biologics via its SnapShot™ technology platform. Powered by the Company's proprietary polymer, SnapShot enables the development of ultra-high concentration formulations of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and biologics that can be administered using a single, standard autoinjector shot. To date, in-vitro and in-vivo safety and efficacy data have demonstrated that SnapShot enables drug developers to produce very high concentration, subcutaneous formulations of novel mAbs and biologics. Surf Bio was launched by the founders of Bigfoot Biomedical and AGC to commercialize a breakthrough drug delivery technology developed in the Appel lab at Stanford University. For more information about Surf Bio, visit Contact for Surf Bio:Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Reissereiss@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Surf Bio, Inc. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
750 HHS staff send letter to RFK Jr. asking him to stop spreading misinformation
More than 750 employees across the Department of Health and Human Services sent a signed letter to members of Congress and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday morning, calling on the secretary to stop spreading misinformation. The letter states the deadly shooting that occurred at the Atlanta headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 8 was "not random" and was driven by "politicized rhetoric." Authorities said the 30-year-old gunman -- who killed a police officer in the attack -- had been harboring yearslong grievances with the COVID-19 vaccine. He believed he suffered negative health effects after he got the vaccine, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found written documents at his home indicating that he wanted to make his discontent known. MORE: 1 week after deadly shooting at CDC, some employees feel Trump and RFK Jr. have moved on The signatories are accusing Kennedy of endangering the lives of HHS employees by spreading misinformation. Kennedy, who oversees the CDC, has peddled vaccine skepticism throughout his career. Before becoming health secretary, Kennedy falsely called the COVID-19 vaccine the "deadliest vaccine ever made." In a statement to ABC News, HHS said, "Secretary Kennedy is standing firmly with CDC employees -- both on the ground and across every center -- ensuring their safety and well-being remain a top priority. In the wake of this heartbreaking shooting, he traveled to Atlanta to offer his support and reaffirm his deep respect, calling the CDC 'a shining star among global health agencies.'" "For the first time in its 70-year history, the mission of HHS is truly resonating with the American people -- driven by President Trump and Secretary Kennedy's bold commitment to Make America Healthy Again," the statement continued. "Any attempt to conflate widely supported public health reforms with the violence of a suicidal mass shooter is an attempt to politicize a tragedy." In the letter, the employees accused Kennedy of being "complicit in dismantling America's public health infrastructure" and of "repeatedly spreading inaccurate health information." A CDC staffer who signed the letter and asked to remain anonymous due to fears of retribution and safety concerns said she has been frustrated by what she sees as misinformation coming from the nation's top public health officials. "As part of my oath as a public health professional to stay true to the science and help people, it just felt like a I needed to speak up in some way," the staffer told ABC News. In the letter, the employees pointed to various examples, such as Kennedy referring to the CDC as a "cesspool of corruption" in a post on X and falsely claiming mRNA vaccines "failed to protect effectively" against COVID and flu. The letter said such "dangerous and deceitful statements and actions" contributed to the harassment and violence experienced by CDC employees. Dr. Shiv Prasad, a scientific review officer at the National Institutes of Health who signed the letter, said he felt compelled to do so for many reasons. "Like my colleagues at the CDC, I am concerned about several things," Prasad, speaking in his personal capacity and not on behalf of NIH or HHS, told ABC News. "One is the misinformation that's being spread, especially concerning vaccines and COVID-19 and it has a way of vilifying federal workers who are working every day to ensure the health of Americans." He went on, "I'm concerned about the safety of HHS workers ... I think we are all potential targets now." MORE: RFK Jr. cancels at least $500M in mRNA vaccine funding. What are the implications? The letter called on Kennedy to take a number of actions by Sept. 2, including not spreading inaccurate health information, affirming the scientific integrity of the CDC and guaranteeing the safety of the HHS workforce. "Our asks in the letter are genuine, and we certainly hope that Secretary Kennedy will hold true to his oath and do his best to, you know, advance science and affirm that CDC does scientific, nonpartisan work," the CDC staffer said. "We certainly hold that hope, and you know that I would say that our our desire for that, and our hope for that is genuine." Prasad added that he would also like to see action from Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the director of NIH. Bhattacharya recently supported Kennedy's decision to cancel $500 million in federal funding for mRNA vaccine development, saying the decision was made because "the mRNA platform is no longer viable." Prasad said he and his colleagues would like Bhattacharya "to consider the effect of his words, potential effect on NIH staff, because he has made some comments in the past about the origins of COVID-19 and certainly recently with the NIH moving away from mRNA vaccine technology." "These things are not accepted by the field and, again it's misinformation, and it could lead to it could put us at risk," he continued. ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett contributed to this report. Solve the daily Crossword
