The Upper East Side Legionnaires’ disease outbreak has now caused nine deaths, with two more fatalities reported in the two weeks after officials said the outbreak had ended.

Initial data show Manhattan’s Upper East Side outbreak affected about 92 people, with 79 hospitalizations and a total of 59 culture‑positive cooling towers identified among 183 towers tested at 160 buildings.

City enforcement relies on self-testing and inspections, with roughly 4,000 registered cooling towers and a bigger budget for inspections and outbreak response as officials push for certification to improve prevention next cooling season.

Health officials say the investigation continues and will issue updates as new information becomes available.

There have been no new confirmed cases or symptoms for more than three weeks, though continued testing of cooling towers and patient samples remains in place to monitor the situation.

Q&A style guidance covers changes in law, outbreak scope, tower counts, tap water safety, transmission, at‑risk groups, and symptom guidance.

Nearly 60 cooling towers tested positive for live Legionella; all affected towers have been drained, cleaned and disinfected.

Among 183 towers tested, 77 were PCR positive and 59 towers at 58 buildings were culture‑positive for live bacteria, with all culture‑positive towers cleaned and disinfected.

Demographics show higher risk for adults 50+, smokers, and people with chronic lung disease or weakened immune systems; early antibiotics improve outcomes when treatment starts promptly.

The source of the UES outbreak has been eliminated and residents in affected ZIP codes are no longer at increased risk, though one person remains hospitalized and monitoring continues.

New penalties under the updated rules rise to 2,500 for a first violation, 7,000 for a second or subsequent violation, and up to 12,500 for violations resulting in fatality or serious injury.

Genetic sequencing is underway to link patient infections to cooling towers, with results expected by late August, and no owner has been publicly named yet.