(NEXSTAR) – Three people have died and at least 67 have been infected as a cluster of Legionnaires' disease cases in New York City continues to spread.

The case count has ballooned since the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' started sickening people in late July.

City health officials link the outbreak in Central Harlem to cooling towers, structures containing water and a fan that are used to cool buildings. They said 11 of these towers initially tested positive for a type of bacteria that causes Legionnaires’, but the problem has been fixed.

Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by bacteria that grows in warm water. It can spread through water systems, like showerheads, hot tubs or cooling towers for central AC. People often get the disease by inhaling mist from contamin

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