4th person dies in Legionnaires' disease outbreak in New York City

A fourth person has died in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York City, health officials disclosed Thursday as they revealed that some cooling towers that tested positive for the bacteria are in city-run buildings.

The outbreak in Central Harlem has sickened dozens since it began in late July. Seventeen people were hospitalized as of Thursday, according to the health department.

The bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease had been discovered in 12 cooling towers on 10 buildings, including a city-run hospital and sexual health clinic, health officials said. Remediation efforts have been completed on 11 of the cooling towers, with the final tower’s remediation required to be completed Friday.

Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia, was first identified following a 1976 outbreak at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia. The outbreak sickened hundreds and caused 34 deaths, leading to the discovery of the bacterium Legionella pneumophila.

People usually develop symptoms — a cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches and shortness of breath — between two days to two weeks after exposure to the bacteria, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.