East Village residents at One Haven Plaza are on alert after the New York City Health Department warned that two tenants in the high-rise have been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease in the past 11 months. The agency is urging everyone in the building to keep an eye out for pneumonia-like symptoms and to seek medical care quickly if they start feeling sick.
As CBS News New York reported, health officials notified neighbors after confirming the two cases tied to the property. The outlet noted that the department has not shared further details about the tenants' conditions or whether investigators have pinpointed a single environmental source inside the building.
Legionnaires' disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria that thrive in warm, stagnant water and can spread when people inhale tiny contaminated droplets. Typical symptoms include cough, fever, chills, muscle aches and shortness of breath. Older adults, smokers and people with chronic lung disease face a higher risk of becoming seriously ill, according to the CDC.
Why the city is watching
The timing of the alert at One Haven Plaza lines up with New York City's move this month to tighten rules on cooling tower testing as summer approaches. New regulations that took effect May 8 require more frequent Legionella screening of cooling towers, as outlined by NYC Health, in an effort to cut the risk of bacteria spreading through building water systems.
The renewed focus on towers follows last summer's Central Harlem cluster, which was linked to rooftop cooling-tower samples that tested positive across multiple properties. That outbreak sickened many residents and led to several deaths, Gothamist reported.
What residents should do
Tenants who develop a fever, cough or trouble breathing are being urged to contact their health care provider right away and can call NYC 311 for guidance on local public health services. Public health materials note that most people exposed to Legionella never get sick at all, but those in higher-risk groups are advised to be especially cautious and to seek testing and treatment early if symptoms appear, according to the CDC.
When Legionnaires' cases are linked to a specific site, city and building officials typically test implicated water systems and, if needed, order cleaning and disinfection. Residents say they will be watching closely for updates as health authorities continue their review of One Haven Plaza.
