1 dead in Legionnaires' disease cluster in Manhattan

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - One person has died and several others are recovering from Legionnaires' disease on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, according to New York City health officials.

The Health Department is investigating this community cluster of cases in Lenox Hill, the department announced Friday. Legionnaires' disease was diagnosed in seven people in the last 11 days.

"The Health Department has identified an increase and cluster of Legionnaires' disease cases in the Lenox Hill area," Dr. Mary Bassett, the health commissioner, said in a news release. "We have begun an investigation to determine the source of the cluster, focusing on cooling towers in the neighborhood. I urge individuals in this area with respiratory symptoms to seek medical attention right away."

Four people are hospitalized and recovering, two have been discharged, and one person in their 90s has died. The Health Department said that elderly person had "significant underlying health conditions."

The bacteria Legionella causes Legionnaires' disease. Symptoms include fever, cough, chills, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, confusion, and diarrhea, according to the Health Department. Legionnaires' disease cannot be spread from person to person.

For more information about Legionnaires' disease, see these resources:

NYC Health Department website

CDC website