Yankees Confirm Cooling Tower Bacteria Not Linked to Legionnaires' Disease Cases

Health officials reported that bacteria causing Legionnaires' disease were detected in a cooling tower at Yankee Stadium, part of a group of ten towers in the Bronx. This comes amid a community cluster of the illness, which has resulted in ten confirmed cases, including one death.

The New York City health department is conducting further tests to determine if the bacteria found are live. The Yankees clarified that none of the current cases of Legionnaires' disease have been traced back to the stadium, emphasizing that only live bacteria can lead to the disease.

In response to the findings, authorities mandated the cleaning and disinfection of the cooling towers by Monday. The Yankees reported that the affected tower was drained and cleaned on Sunday. They also noted that new cooling towers were installed in 2024 and have undergone weekly testing for water quality, with the latest results showing no presence of Legionella bacteria.