An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York City has claimed a fourth life, with health officials confirming 76 cases linked to contaminated cooling towers on Manhattan's Upper East Side. City authorities announced the latest death on Monday, as the outbreak continues to spread through the affected area. The disease, a severe form of bacterial pneumonia caused by inhaling contaminated water droplets, has prompted ongoing public health monitoring in the neighbourhood.

Of the 76 confirmed cases, 60 people required hospital treatment, with 53 subsequently discharged and seven remaining in hospital as of the announcement. Officials have traced the source of the outbreak to a series of cooling towers within Upper East Side buildings, which are being investigated and treated to eliminate the bacteria. The fourth death follows an earlier fatality reported when the case count stood at 72, indicating the outbreak has continued to grow in scale.