New York City identifies contaminated cooling towers as the likely source of a Legionnaires' disease cluster on the Upper East Side after 23 people fell ill and 17 were hospitalized.The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is testing roughly 160 towers across ZIP codes 10028, 10128 and 10075, has raised inspection staff from 33 to 56 and enforces a new law that requires monthly tests during warm months, samples entered into a city database within five days and fines of $2K–$4K for noncompliance.Health Commissioner Dr.
Alister Martin says at least one patient has been discharged; officials caution there is no evidence drinking water or residential plumbing are involved, that Legionella pneumophila spreads through aerosolized water not person to person, and that more cases could appear because of the incubation period.