Bacteria that cause potentially fatal Legionnaires' disease have been detected in a cooling tower at Yankee Stadium, one of 10 Bronx structures testing positive amid a cluster of cases that has resulted in one death, New York City health officials said. The city's Health Department said further laboratory analysis is underway to determine whether the Legionella bacteria found in the towers is live, as only active bacteria cause the pneumonia-like illness. Initial testing last week detected traces of either living or dead bacteria, while the Yankees noted that none of the region's current cases have been connected to the venue.
Health authorities are investigating a probable community cluster in the South Bronx, where Yankee Stadium is situated. Ten people have tested positive for the illness so far, including one individual who died and three who are currently hospitalized, according to the Health Department. Property owners for all 10 towers were ordered by authorities to clean and disinfect the equipment by Monday.
The Yankees confirmed that the stadium tower that tested positive was completely drained and sanitized on Sunday morning. The Health Department advised anyone who lives, works, or has visited the Melrose and Morrisania neighborhoods of the Bronx since late August to contact a healthcare provider immediately if they experience flu-like symptoms. In a statement, the Yankees noted that new, state-of-the-art cooling towers were fitted at the ballpark in 2024 and undergo weekly testing for water quality and bacteria, with results submitted monthly to the city.
The team said its most recent test on Aug. 20 was negative for Legionella bacteria, noting that its monthly process relies on a different testing method than the one used by municipal officials last week. "No current cases have been associated with Yankee Stadium," the team said. "Additionally, the New York City Department of Health has not at any point this month asked us to postpone our games." The city is currently conducting culture tests on samples taken from the 10 towers, a procedure that can take up to two weeks to confirm if the bacteria were living.
Legionnaires’ disease is treatable but causes death in roughly 10% of patients, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The condition stems from Legionella bacteria, which thrive in warm water environments such as building cooling units and hot tubs.
Infection occurs when individuals inhale contaminated water droplets, and the disease does not transmit person-to-person. An earlier outbreak of Legionnaires' disease on Manhattan's Upper East Side this summer resulted in 11 deaths among more than 90 confirmed cases, according to the Health Department. That outbreak saw 59 cooling towers across 58 buildings test positive for live Legionella bacteria, all of which were subsequently cleaned and disinfected.
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