On Friday, August 29, 2025, the New York City Health Department (“DOH”) identified Harlem Hospital and the site of the city’s new public health laboratory as the sources of the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Harlem.
The DOH used a molecular analysis to identify genetic matches from the water samples taken from the two sites’ cooling towers and people sickened from the disease. To date, seven people have died from the outbreak and a total of 114 have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease.
Since the DOH’s announcement on Friday, Harford, P.C. along with co-counsel The Lange Law Firm have filed 16 cases in the New York County Supreme Court. Both firms anticipate filing more cases in the days to come.
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease typically appear 2-14 days after exposure to the bacteria. Officials are advising anyone in the affected ZIP codes who experiences Legionnaires’ symptoms to seek medical attention promptly.
Harford, P.C. already represents clients that developed Legionnaires’ disease from the South Bronx Opera Hotel outbreak, the Sugar Hill outbreak in upper Manhattan, Co-Op City, a financial district residential building, various nursing homes in New York, NYCHA residential facilities, and multiple apartment complexes in New Jersey.
If you or someone you know has been injured by exposure to Legionella bacteria, we are here to help you.
Please call or e-mail us today for a free consultation at (212) 390-8983 and/or scott.harford@harford-law.com.
