The New York City health department reported on Friday that 31 buildings on the Upper East Side, including the Guggenheim Museum, tested positive for the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease. The department ordered the cleaning and disinfection of cooling towers at these locations following an outbreak of the respiratory illness in the area. Health officials stated that more than 50 people have been diagnosed in this cluster, with approximately 20 individuals remaining hospitalized at the time of the report.
City officials noted that the positive test results do not confirm individual buildings as the source of the outbreak, as the testing used cannot distinguish between live and dead bacteria. The Guggenheim Museum confirmed in a statement that it has completed remediation and that city officials indicated no additional action was required. The museum remained open throughout the cleaning process.
Legionnaires’ disease is an atyptical form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which typically grow in warm water systems like cooling towers. It is contracted by inhaling contaminated water droplets rather than through person-to-person contact. Health officials said 19 of the 31 identified buildings have already completed the required disinfection, with the remainder expected to finish by Saturday.