Health Department tells some North Shore Towers residents to skip showers after Legionnaires’ cases
Two residents of the Queens complex have Legionnaires' disease. The city is investigating the plumbing and says the drinking water is safe.
Two residents of North Shore Towers in Queens have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, and the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has opened an investigation at the complex.
The department started handing out letters about the cases to residents on Friday evening, spokesperson Chantal Gomez said. Inspectors have not yet confirmed that Legionella bacteria are present in the building’s plumbing, she said.
Who should avoid showering at North Shore Towers
The notices single out three groups: smokers, anyone older than 50 and people living with long-term breathing or lung conditions. Those residents are asked to hold off on showering in their apartments for now, because inhaling water mist is how the bacteria make people sick.
Health officials said the water in the building is safe to drink and that Legionnaires’ disease does not pass from person to person. The letter says most people are unlikely to get sick, and Gomez said there is “no risk to the surrounding community.” Anyone who starts to feel as if they have the flu, with a cough, a fever, aching muscles or chills, should get medical care, the department said.
How Legionnaires’ spreads through building plumbing
A small share of Legionnaires’ cases each year comes from plumbing, with the bacteria reaching people through showerheads and faucets. Legionella can multiply to dangerous levels when water in a building’s pipes stays warm or sits still.
The Queens cases are isolated, health officials said. This summer’s two deadly outbreaks on the Upper East Side, which killed 11 people, and one in the South Bronx, which killed two, spread across whole neighborhoods. Those were tied to rooftop cooling towers that sent contaminated vapor into the air.
New York City recorded twice as many Legionnaires’ cases in 2025 as in the year before. Some estimates put the national rise at tenfold over the past 20 years. The repeated outbreaks have started a debate over the city’s drinking water, and some water management experts want costlier fixes such as filtering all of the city’s tap water.
Quick answers
Is the water at North Shore Towers safe to drink?
Yes. Health officials said the drinking water is safe and the disease does not spread from person to person.
Who should avoid showering at North Shore Towers?
Smokers, residents older than 50 and people with long-term breathing conditions, according to the Health Department's letter.
What are the symptoms of Legionnaires' disease?
The signs can resemble the flu: a cough, a fever, aching muscles or chills. The department urges residents who have them to get medical care.
