Legionnaires’ disease first came to public attention in 1976 after an American Legion conference in Philadelphia led to dozens of pneumonia cases caused by a then-unknown bacteria. Scientists later identified it as Legionella, a bacteria that naturally occurs in freshwater but typically remains harmless in small quantities.

Problems arise when stagnant, warm water systems, from cooling towers to pipes, provide fertile ground for the bacteria to multiply and release into the air.

Once inhaled in contaminated mist, the bacteria can cause a dangerous form of pneumonia that kills about one in ten infected patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that most cases in the U.S. are linked to potable water systems.

Read: Legionnaires' Outbreak: Death Toll Increases To 6 With 111 Hospitalized, How To Spot The First Symptoms

New York’s Current Outbreak

This summer, New York City has recorded its largest outbreak in years, with more than 100 people sickened and at least five deaths. Officials have traced the source to a cluster of contaminated cooling towers in Central Harlem, including one at Harlem Hospital. Heavy July storms are believed to have filled these towers with rainwater that went untreated, allowing bacteria to spread.

The incident has already triggered lawsuits against contractors and raised questions about whether city inspections are keeping pace with the threat. Just 1,200 cooling towers were inspected in the first half of 2025, a sharp decline from 2017 when more than 5,000 were checked in the same period.

Not Just a New York Problem

While the outbreak has grabbed headlines in New York, public health researchers emphasize this is not an isolated concern. Cases of Legionnaires’ have been climbing steadily across the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Read: Unique COVID-19 Like Symptoms Of Legionnaires' Disease And How Long Does The Infection Last

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that warmer temperatures and increased rainfall are making conditions across the country more favorable for Legionella.

Communities that never needed large-scale cooling systems are now installing them to combat rising heat, creating new risks. Even modern “green” buildings can unintentionally increase exposure. Low-flow plumbing systems, designed to conserve water, can allow it to sit stagnant in pipes, encouraging bacterial growth.

Climate Change Accelerates the Spread

Summers have always been peak season for Legionnaires’, but climate change is intensifying the problem. Warmer air, higher humidity, and extreme rain events are combining to create perfect breeding conditions. Flooding adds another complication, as contaminated water can more easily infiltrate public water supplies.

European health agencies have already warned that climate change is likely to expand the range of Legionnaires’ disease. In the United States, rising cases mirror these predictions, suggesting the New York outbreak may be just one of many to come.

Unequal Burden on Vulnerable Communities

As with many climate-linked health threats, low-income neighborhoods often suffer most. Poorly maintained cooling towers are more likely in underfunded housing complexes, and chronic health issues common in these areas, such as asthma or diabetes, make residents more vulnerable to severe illness.

Harlem, the center of New York’s outbreak, highlights this intersection of infrastructure neglect and health inequality. Experts caution that without stronger oversight and better maintenance of public systems, similar communities nationwide could become hotspots for future outbreaks.

What Individuals Can Do

For most people, preventing Legionnaires’ on an individual level is difficult, since the bacteria spreads through community water systems and airborne mist. Still, health officials advise paying attention to public health alerts, especially if you are over 50, smoke, or have chronic conditions that weaken the lungs or immune system.

During outbreaks, residents can consider using high-quality water filters or ensuring home cooling systems are regularly cleaned. But the most critical step remains recognizing symptoms early. Fever, cough, and shortness of breath should prompt immediate medical attention, as antibiotics are highly effective when treatment begins quickly.

A Public Health Responsibility

Experts stress that Legionnaires’ disease cannot be managed through individual vigilance alone. The real solution lies in better maintenance of large-scale water and cooling systems, more consistent inspections, and infrastructure upgrades that account for a warming world.

Andhra Pradesh may soon follow Australia's steps and ban social media for teenagers under the age of 16 in the state.

Nara Lokesh, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Real Time Governance and Human Resources Development Minister for Andhra Pradesh, told Bloomberg at the World Economic Forum 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland: "As a state, we are studying Australia’s under-16 law, and yes, I believe we need to create a strong legal enactment.

"Youngsters below a certain age should not be on such platforms, as they do not fully understand the content they are exposed to. Thus, a strong legal framework may be required."

Also Read: Chikungunya Spreads Across Tamil Nadu: All You Need To Know

TDP national spokesperson Deepak Reddy supported Lokesh's claim and stated: "Children below a certain age are not emotionally mature enough to comprehend the negative and harmful content that is freely available online. That is why the Andhra government is studying global best practices and examining Australia's under-16 social media law."

If implemented successfully, Andhra Pradesh would be the first Indian state to issue the ban and could pave the way for other states to consider such policies. State officials are yet to clarify when the rule will be implemented and if any fines will be attached to it.

Is Any Other State Considering a Ban?

The petition was to emphasize on the awareness of the stakeholders and parental windows in the device that could control the menace of pornographic material which is easily accessible to children. The court asked Centre to order internet provider service companies to provide a 'Parental Window' to prevent children from accessing such content.

The Madurai Bench of Justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan told the authorities of child rights to accelerate this matter. The bench also noted that children could only be prevented from consuming such content only if there is a parental control app on the device.

Judges also noted that parents have a higher responsibility in this, as children are highly vulnerable to such content.

READ MORE: Australia Social Media Ban Explained: Why Government Plans to Restrict Accounts of Under-16s

What Did Australia Do?

To protect the mental health of children, Australia has successfully banned several social media apps including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch.

YouTube Kids, Google Classroom and WhatsApp are not covered under this rule as they do not fit those criteria.

While anyone under 16 will be still able to watch most of the content without logging in, however, they cannot have an account on it. Critics are urging the government to widen the ban to include online gaming platforms such as Roblox and Discord, which are currently not covered.

The government says that it will also reduce the negative impact of social media's "design features that encourage [young people] to spend more time on screens, while also serving up content that can harm their health and wellbeing".

A government study which was commissioned in 2025 found that 96% of children aged 10 to 15 used social media, and that seven out of 10 of them were exposed to harmful content. These content were misogynistic and violent in its nature, furthermore, content promoted eating disorders and suicide.

Children and parents will not be punished for infringing the ban, instead, social media companies will face fines of up to A$49.5m, which is equivalent of US$32m for serious or repeated breaches.

The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) has issued a statewide alert across Tamil Nadu due to a sudden uptick in chikungunya cases in multiple cities.

Cases have been reported across Chennai, Villupuram, Tenkasi, Theni, Cuddalore, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Ariyalur. It remains unknown how many people have been affected and if any deaths have occurred.

Caused by the chikungunya virus, chikungunya virus disease (CHIKVD) is spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus) to humans. The illness usually starts with flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, joint pain and rashes.

Also Read: This Is Why Emmanuel Macron Wore Sunglasses At Davos

Typically, the illness has no clear no symptoms, especially in children and can easily be misdiagnosed as dengue and Zika. While there are no specific antiviral treatments for chikungunya virus infections, medications such as antipyretic and analgesic medications (such as paracetamol) for fever and pain can be used to ease the pain.

Most patients recover completely from the infection, but occasional cases of eye, heart, and neurological complications have been previously been reported with CHIKV infections.

What Are Tamil Nadu Officials Doing To Contain Cases?

Authorities have also emphasized that all government and private hospitals as well as diagnostic laboratories, need to timely report cases to ensure the infection does not spread . Any delay in reporting, officials noted, could allow the virus to spread rapidly within communities.

On the local level, district entomologists and health inspectors have been told to eliminate stagnant water in artificial containers and conduct weekly mass-cleaning drives in high-risk areas.

The DPH has also ordered that all designated dengue and chikungunya wards in hospitals be kept mosquito-free, with adequate bed strength and sufficient mosquito nets for patients.

READ MORE: What Is Chikungunya And How Can It Be Prevented?

Can Chikungunya Spread Easily?

Cases typically emerge mostly in the Americas, Asia and Africa and occasionally in Europe. However, nearly 30,000 CHIKVD cases have been recorded, including 83 associated deaths from 12 countries namely from China, Singapore, Pakistan, France, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, marking it as one of the biggest outbreaks in the world.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. As he spoke on the European solidarity amid US President Donald Trumps' treat to annex Greenland, something else seemed to take the attention away. Macron was seen wearing a pair of blue-tinted mirrored aviator sunglasses. The surprising part was that he wore it indoors. French media had already reported that he was seen wearing sunglasses since last week.

Trump also mocked Emmanuel Macron’s sunglasses during his speech at Davos, joking, “what the hell happened?” regarding the French president’s appearance.

Also Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak In India: After Two West Bengal Cases, Tests On Bats Show No Active Infection

Why Was Emmanuel Macron Wearing Sunglasses Indoors?

On Monday, Macron said that reflective glasses were to disguise a minor eye injury that he had sustained after having been spotted with a heavily bloodshot right eye. "Apologies for the shades, but I have to wear them for a while". He further said that it is for a "mild eye condition".

Last week, when he appeared at a military event in southern France with red eye, while addressing the troop, he said, it was "totally benign" and "completely insignificant", he also added, "Please pardon the unsightly appearance of my eye". He also joked about it, calling it "l'oiel du tigre" or the "eye of the tiger". This was a reference to rock band Survivor's song used in the 1982 boxing moving Rocky III. He said, "For those who get the reference, it is a sign of determination".

What Happened To Macron's Eyes?

As per the French media reports, Macron appeared to have a sub-conjunctival hemorrhage. This means there is a broken blood vessel in his eyes. It is harmless, painless, and does not affect the vision. It also cannot cause permanent injury to the eye, and clears within a fortnight.

Macron Wears Sunglasses Indoor: Is It Absolutely Necessary?

Medical doctor and media commentator Jimmy Mohamed told French broadcaster RTL that Macron "opted for this style for aesthetic reasons, because he is a public figure. However, sunglasses are not necessary to protect vision in this condition. Some people wear it to avoid attracting attention.

"Some people might think he's ill, so to avoid being photographed in that state, he decided to wear sunglasses. The glasses protect his image, but not really his eye," said Jimmy Mohamed.

Read: Why Can't I Hear When I Take My Glasses Off?

How Have Netizen Reacted To Macron Wearing Sunglasses?

He has been called 'kéké', which is a French slang for a show off. Others also joked about him being a "cyborg" or emulating Hollywood actor Top Cruise in Top Gun, the 1986 movie that made wearing aviators a fashion statement.

What Is Sub-conjunctival hemorrhage?

Sub-conjunctival hemorrhage or SCH is a common ocular condition defined by extravasation of blood beneath the conjunctiva, producing a sharply demarcated red patch on the scleral surface. The condition is usually painless and does not impair vision. It usually resolves within 1 to 2 weeks, making it a frequent but benign cause of ocular redness.

It usually happens by a sudden pressure increase from coughing, sneezing, vomiting, or heavy lifting. This could rupture tiny eye blood vessels, or from eye trauma like rubbing or foreign bodies, and can be linked to risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, blood thinners, or even childbirth in newborns.