Guggenheim Among Buildings Tied to Legionnaires’ Testing in NYC
New York City health officials have identified 31 Upper East Side buildings that tested positive for the bacteria associated with Legionnaires’ disease during the city’s latest outbreak. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum was among the properties listed, though officials said the results do not establish any building as the source of the illnesses.
The city ordered the buildings to clean and disinfect their cooling towers. According to the health department, 19 buildings, including the Guggenheim, had already completed the required remediation, with the remaining sites expected to finish shortly. Officials noted that the tests could not determine whether the bacteria detected were alive or dead.
The Guggenheim remained open during the process. In a statement, the museum said the city had confirmed no further action was needed and that there was no risk to people inside the building. The museum also said an outside company conducts regular monthly testing and treatment of its cooling tower.
More than 50 people have been diagnosed in connection with the Upper East Side cluster, according to city data. Fewer than 20 remain hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. The outbreak follows a larger Legionnaires’ cluster last year in Harlem, where seven people died and more than 100 became ill. That outbreak was eventually traced to cooling towers at Harlem Hospital and a nearby construction site.
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which can grow in warm water systems. The bacteria can spread through mist from sources such as cooling towers, hot tubs and showerheads. The disease is not spread from person to person and does not affect drinking water.
Symptoms can include cough, fever, headache, muscle aches and shortness of breath. People over 50, smokers, those with chronic lung disease and individuals with weakened immune systems face higher risk.