Latest news with #MorningsideHeights
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Toxic vapor that's spreading killer lung disease discovered inside Whole Foods building
A fourth person has died from toxic vapor spreading in New York City. City officials announced Thursday that 99 people have been infected with Legionnaire's disease, a type of pneumonia that spreads through bacteria lurking in warm later. This is up from 81 cases last week, a 20 percent increase. Hospitalizations, however, have gone down from 24 to 17. Legionnaires' disease is caused by Legionella bacteria, which thrive in warm water and can become airborne when water turns to steam. The condition is most severe in older people, smokers and those with chronic lung diseases. All cases and deaths have been reported in five ZIP codes covering the Harlem, East Harlem and Morningside Heights neighborhoods. The announcement of the additional death came just hours after city officials revealed 12 cooling towers in 10 buildings across the Harlem neighborhood tested positive for the bacteria. Several of the affected buildings contain medical offices and grocery stores like Whole Foods. Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday that 11 out of the 12 cooling towers that tested positive for Legionnaires' have been treated and disinfected, and the last tower should be completed by the end of the day Friday. He said: 'New Yorkers should know the air is safe to breathe, and we are seeing declining numbers of new cases each day.' Officials noted the warm weather in the city likely increased the risk of the bacteria spreading. Officials also defended the city's testing schedule and said many of the buildings had initially been negative for Legionnaires'. Acting New York City Health Commissioner Dr Michelle Morse said Thursday: 'The testing is important, and the maintenance is important, but even that rigorous schedule, there are still possibilities that bacteria can grow because of the conditions in warm weather.' No information has been released about those who have died or been hospitalized. Infected patients initially suffer a headache, muscle aches, and fever that may be 104 Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) or higher. But within three days, they may experience a cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and confusion or other mental changes. In serious cases, patients can develop severe pneumonia, and the bacteria can spread to the heart and blood, causing the potentially fatal complication sepsis. Patients die from the disease due to lung failure, septic shock, a sudden severe drop in blood flow to vital organs, or acute kidney failure. Legionnaires' affects 8,000 to 10,000 Americans every year and kills about 1,000. The five ZIP codes affected in the outbreak are: 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037 and 10039. City health officials said while 'most people who are exposed to the bacteria do not develop Legionnaires' disease,' those who are 50 or older, smoke, have a chronic lung disease or a weakened immune system may be at a higher risk. Doctors treat the disease using antibiotics, but say these are most effective in the early stages before the disease has spread in the body. Patients are often hospitalized. In milder cases, patients may also suffer from Pontiac fever, a condition causing fever, chills, headache and muscle aches that occurs when the bacteria do not infect the lungs. This condition goes away on its own without treatment and causes no further problems, doctors say. The New York City outbreak was first revealed on July 22, when the health department reported eight cases. All buildings that had units that tested positive for the Legionella bacteria were told to clean their systems within 24 hours. It follows a previous outbreak in July 2015 in the Bronx, which became the second-largest Legionnaires' disease outbreak in the US. Overall, a total of 155 patients were infected and 17 people died due to the disease from July to September that year. The outbreak was eventually linked back to a cooling tower at the Opera House Hotel in the South Bronx, which had been contaminated with the bacteria and was releasing it in water vapor.
CBS News
2 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Journalist and educator David Diaz remembered as a "reporter's reporter" at celebration of life
The life and work of journalist and educator David Diaz was celebrated Thursday, on the eve of what would've been his 83rd birthday. Diaz died in March. Friends and colleagues turned out to remember David, who helped tell the story of New York from the 1970s into this century. His legacy was front and center at Riverside Church in Morningside Heights, where he was remembered as a true New Yorker who never lost touch with the soul of the city. "Not only was he a reporter's reporter, he was a human being's human being," former news executive Joe Coscia, Sr. said. Coscia recalled David's professionalism and humanity during the nightmare of 9/11. Cindy Hsu joined CBS News New York in 1993, just as David came over after many years at NBC. "In my 20s, and he was such a mentor. So professional, such a gentleman. No matter how rushed and stressed things were, he would always take the time," Hsu said. "I always admired David, a little intimidated by him - but he was smart, and after he left local news, he taught. He was teaching the next generation of New York City reporters," former reporter Mary Murphy said. David believed in the power of journalism to inspire hope and inform democracy. New Yorkers saw him as someone who shared their struggles and values. "He had lived such a life - roller coasters up and down - and that's what real people experience," Hsu said. "That smile. That love. David was one of a kind," Coscia said. Diaz is survived by his daughter Nina and Elena, who have both enjoyed distinguished broadcasting careers, and his beloved wife Andrea. He was a proud native of Puerto Rico, and a trailblazer in New York media for Latinos. "I was pretty well known in this town. Pretty good reputation that I built over time. I'm pretty proud of what I did," Diaz previously said.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
New York battles outbreak of deadly lung disease
By New York City is set to enforce stricter rules for cooling towers as Legionnaires' disease continues to spread through parts of the city. As of August 8, 83 people living in upper Manhattan have been infected with Legionnaires' disease , a type of pneumonia that spreads through bacteria lurking in warm later. Of these, there have been three deaths and 21 patients are currently hospitalized. All cases have been detected in five ZIP codes covering the Harlem, East Harlem and Morningside Heights neighborhoods. Legionnaires' disease is caused by Legionella bacteria, which thrive in warm water and can become airborne when water turns to steam. It has not been determined yet how patients were infected, but a release from the New York City Department of Health said the 'likely source' is a cooling tower in the area . While building owners are required to register cooling towers' and 'routinely test the water for bacteria, inspections dwindled after the pandemic and sunk to a near-record low in the months leading up to the outbreak. This was put down to a shortage of inspectors. Off the back of the outbreak, the city's Health Department plans on enforcing heftier penalties and ramping up reporting requirements for building water systems. The finer details are still being ironed out, but a spokesperson told 'These proposed rules are designed to enhance existing testing and reporting requirements and were in development well before the Legionnaires cluster in Central Harlem. 'All operable cooling towers in the area have been sampled, and the Health Department has directed building owners with initial positive screening results to initiate remediation, including increased cleaning of the cooling towers. 'We've confirmed compliance at all buildings with initial positive results.' The new regulations will come into force next spring. In New York, owners of cooling towers are required to register their towers and they must comply with regulations designed to prevent Legionella bacteria growth, including regular maintenance and testing. The department of health states that water in a cooling tower system must be treated at least once per day while the system is in operation. Water treatments must include approved oxidizing chemicals and biocides in quantities sufficient to control the presence of Legionella, minimize biofilms, and prevent scaling and corrosion. Owners of buildings with cooling towers can face penalties for violations related to Legionella prevention and maintenance. Penalties can include fines ranging from $500 to $10,000, with higher penalties for violations resulting in death or serious injury. It is currently unclear what the revamped regulations regarding cooling towers will involve. In Harlem, where the New York outbreak originated, 11 cooling towers tested positive for Legionella bacteria. Officials wrote in a news release: 'This is not an issue with any building's plumbing system. Residents in these ZIP codes can continue to drink water, bathe, shower, cook, and use your air conditioner.' While building owners 'are required to register cooling towers' and 'routinely test the water' for bacteria, inspections reportedly sunk to a near-record low in the months leading up to the outbreak. Officials told Gothamist, which discovered the decline , that staffing issues were to blame. NYC Department of Health officials said in their most recent update: 'People who inhale mist that contains Legionella bacteria can get sick. 'Sources of water with Legionella contamination may include cooling towers, showers and hot tubs. 'Window air conditioners do not spread the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease.' No information has been released about those who have died or been hospitalized. Infected patients initially suffer from a headache , muscle aches, and fever that may be 104 Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) or higher. But within three days, they may experience a cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and confusion or other mental changes. In serious cases, patients can develop severe pneumonia, and the bacteria can spread to the heart and blood, causing the potentially fatal complication sepsis. Patients die from the disease due to lung failure, septic shock, a sudden severe drop in blood flow to vital organs, or acute kidney failure. Legionnaires' affects 8,000 to 10,000 Americans every year and kills about 1,000. The five ZIP codes affected in the outbreak are: 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037 and 10039. City health officials said while 'most people who are exposed to the bacteria do not develop Legionnaires' disease,' those who are 50 or older, smoke, have a chronic lung disease or a weakened immune system may be at a higher risk. The news release cautioned people who experience symptoms to 'seek medical attention right away.' Doctors treat the disease using antibiotics, but say these are most effective in the early stages before the disease has spread in the body. Patients are often hospitalized. Dr Asim Cheema, internal medicine and cardiology specialist at Your Doctors Online , told the Daily Mail: 'August is peak season for Legionnaires' disease. Hot weather creates perfect breeding conditions, air conditioning systems work overtime, and people spend more time around water features. 'This isn't a condition to take lightly; it can be fatal if not treated promptly, but it's also completely treatable when caught early.' In milder cases, patients may also suffer from Pontiac fever, a condition causing fever, chills, headache and muscle aches that occurs when the bacteria do not infect the lungs. This condition goes away on its own without treatment and causes no further problems, doctors say. The New York City outbreak was first revealed on July 22, when the health department reported eight cases. All buildings that had units that tested positive for the Legionella bacteria were told to clean their systems within 24 hours. It follows a previous outbreak in July 2015 in the Bronx, which became the second-largest Legionnaires' disease outbreak in the US. Overall, a total of 155 patients were infected and 17 people died due to the disease from July to September that year.
Wall Street Journal
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Questions for Mahmoud Khalil
Columbia University graduate and anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil has been on a public-relations tour after his brief detention while the U.S. government seeks to deport him. He now seems intent on rehabilitating his image. The press shouldn't let him get away with it. The U.S. government wants to deport him over what the State Department calls antisemitic conduct, including his alleged leadership of the terror-sympathizing group Columbia University Apartheid Divest. Mr. Khalil denies that he led the group, which, in addition to organizing acts of trespassing and property damage in and around the Morningside Heights neighborhood, has espoused support for terrorism.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil speaks in Harlem: ‘We are winning'
Less than 48 hours after his release from a federal immigration facility in Louisiana, Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil told supporters in Manhattan a phrase that sustained him through his three-month incarceration was 'I believe that we will win.' 'I found myself literally scratching this into my bunk bed and looking at it as I fell asleep and as I woke up. I find myself repeating it, even now, knowing that I have won, in a small way, by being free today,' Khalil said Sunday from the steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights. 'While I'm grateful to be here with you all,' he added. 'I must say that this is only the beginning of a longer fight towards justice. I want everyone to understand that my being here today is sweet, but it is not a victory, not when Palestinians are still being killed under U.S. bombs.' The refrain Khalil referred to was often chanted by activists at pro-Palestine demonstrations at Columbia University that Khalil helped lead and organize as a graduate student. The federal government has sought to deport Khalil, 30, a legal resident of the U.S. who has not been accused of any crimes, for his pro-Palestine student activism under an obscure and rarely-used immigration law that empowers the Secretary of State to deport anyone whose presence is considered adverse to U.S. foreign policy interests. On Friday, New Jersey federal Judge Michael Farbiarz ruled the statute was so vague as to be unconstitutional, and ordered Khalil released. 'The wave of repression that the Trump administration initiated with my detention was intended to silent the movement for Palestinian liberation,' Khalil said. 'It was intended to scare people into silence. It was intended to distract us from the fact that the U.S. government is a killing machine in Palestine and across the world.' 'But they completely failed,' he said. 'Millions of people spoke up even louder. That it is our responsibility to end this genocide no matter the personal cost. And that is exactly what I will continue trying to do, so long as I'm able. So long as I'm breathing.' Khalil's wife Noor stood next to him as he addressed the crowd. His detainment by ICE forced him to miss the birth of his first child. Khalil described the moments when he was first spirited away by ICE agents on March 8. 'It felt like I was literally being kidnapped, where you have plain clothes agents literally snatching you off your apartment building without introducing themselves,' he said. 'Without introducing an arrest warrant,' Khalil said. 'I was mostly concerned about my then-pregnant wife Noor that they basically cut me off any means of communication for over 30 hours. These 30 hours were the most difficult time in during the whole experience. 'That's why this administration is so worried that they're literally doing everything in their power to suppress us because we are winning. We are literally winning.' Khalil has vowed he will continue his activism on behalf of the Palestinian people. 'I don't remember a time when I considered giving up because from the moment I was arrested,' he said. 'I got arrested, I knew that my case is righteous, I'm righteous and my speech should be celebrated, not punished.' At the same time, he has indicated he will also advocate for others swept up in the massive ICE raids. 'I shared a dorm with over 70 men. Absolutely no privacy. Lights on all the time,' he said of his time in the detention center. 'I spent my days like listening to one tragic story after another. Listening to a father of four whose wife is battling cancer and he's in detention. I listened to a story of an individual who had been in the United States for over 20 years — all his children are American — yet he's deported. It's so normal in detention to see men cry because they can't understand why they are there. 'But as I will continue to fight for Palestine, I will continue to fight for their rights as well,' he said.
