NEW YORK — Two more people have died of Legionnaires’ disease, raising the death toll from this summer’s Upper East Side outbreak to nine, officials announced Friday.

“I’m saddened to share that 2 more people have died in connection with the UES Legionnaires’ disease cluster,” city Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said in a statement posted on X, adding that the two cases “were diagnosed weeks ago.”

Attorney Ronald Katter identified one of the victims as his client, a 92-year-old man who succumbed to the disease earlier this week. Katter said the man lived at an E. 89th St. building that did not test positive for Legionella bacteria.

“Today, my client’s family suffered the tragic and needless loss of a loved one,” Katter said in a statement Friday. “He battled Legionnaires’ disease for more than four weeks on life support in a hospital ICU and died just as he was about to be discharged to a skilled nursing facility.

“His family will live with that loss long after the city declared the outbreak over,” added Katter, who is planning to file suit on behalf of 11 clients affected by the illness, including Robert Goldstein, who died from it on July 17.

The first cases in the outbreak of the disease, a severe form of pneumonia, were identified in the neighborhood on July 2. As of now, there have been 92 known cases of Legionnaires’ connected with the cluster.

Health officials believe the source of the bacteria has been eliminated since there have been no new reported cases in more than three weeks.

Shortly after the outbreak, City Council Speaker Julie Menin lashed out at Martin and Mayor Zohran Mamdani for, in her view, not taking more proactive steps in stopping its spread.

“I am deeply saddened to learn that two additional people have died in connection with the Upper East Side Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, including one previous case reclassified as connected to the cluster,” Menin, who represents the district, posted on X on Friday. “My thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones as they grieve these heartbreaking losses. Nine people have now lost their lives in connection with this devastating outbreak.”

A screening of 160 buildings on the Upper East Side found Legionella bacteria, the microbe responsible for spreading the disease, in at least 77 cooling towers, including at the Guggenheim Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

All buildings that tested positive for the bacteria were ordered to undergo remediation, including cleaning and disinfecting the affected towers.

Most people exposed to the bacteria don’t become sick. The disease is contracted by breathing in water vapor, not spread from person to person, officials said.

Symptoms typically develop between two to 14 days after exposure and include fever, chills, muscle aches, shortness of breath and coughing.
According to DOH, “It remains safe to shower, drink tap water and use air conditioners in the affected zip codes.”

The disease is fatal in about 10% of cases and is most dangerous for those above age 50 or with compromised immune systems or chronic lung diseases.

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