Health experts discuss Legionnaires cluster in Upper East Side and The Bronx
July 18, 2026 | Bronx County/City, New York
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David Lesh introduced a segment reporting that city health officials are investigating a cluster of Legionnaires disease cases affecting Manhattan's Upper East Side and neighborhoods in The Bronx and brought on attorney Ronald Katter to explain causes, prevention and legal implications.
Ronald Katter, founder of the Katter Law Firm, described Legionnaires disease as a pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which can proliferate in building cooling towers when water temperatures and maintenance practices allow growth. "That pan can become up to 94 degrees," Katter said, adding that those conditions can create a "perfect breeding temperature for legionella bacteria."
Katter explained how cooling towers work, how water vapor can disperse bacteria beyond building occupants, and who is at greatest risk: people over 50, smokers and those with compromised immune systems. He said health departments can test buildings and patients and perform genomic analysis to match strains, which can identify the source of an outbreak and support legal claims.
On diagnosis and outcomes, Katter said doctors can test for Legionella with urine or blood tests and that, if untreated, infections can worsen and sometimes lead to organ failure or sepsis; he cited an approximate 10 percent fatality rate for such cases. He advised viewers with symptoms to seek medical care and testing and provided contact information for his firm for those seeking legal help.
The segment emphasized building maintenance, routine water testing, and prompt public-health investigation as key measures to prevent and trace outbreaks.
Ronald Katter, founder of the Katter Law Firm, described Legionnaires disease as a pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which can proliferate in building cooling towers when water temperatures and maintenance practices allow growth. "That pan can become up to 94 degrees," Katter said, adding that those conditions can create a "perfect breeding temperature for legionella bacteria."
Katter explained how cooling towers work, how water vapor can disperse bacteria beyond building occupants, and who is at greatest risk: people over 50, smokers and those with compromised immune systems. He said health departments can test buildings and patients and perform genomic analysis to match strains, which can identify the source of an outbreak and support legal claims.
On diagnosis and outcomes, Katter said doctors can test for Legionella with urine or blood tests and that, if untreated, infections can worsen and sometimes lead to organ failure or sepsis; he cited an approximate 10 percent fatality rate for such cases. He advised viewers with symptoms to seek medical care and testing and provided contact information for his firm for those seeking legal help.
The segment emphasized building maintenance, routine water testing, and prompt public-health investigation as key measures to prevent and trace outbreaks.
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