The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City was among 31 buildings on the Upper East Side that tested positive for the bacteria causing Legionnaires' disease, the city health department announced on Friday. The iconic art museum, one of 19 buildings that have already completed remediation, was not shut down and poses no risk to visitors, officials said.
Remediation and Safety Measures
The health department ordered all 31 buildings to clean and disinfect their cooling towers to address the outbreak. The Guggenheim, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and a UNESCO World Heritage site, had already completed the required work. In a statement on Saturday, the museum noted that it conducts regular monthly testing and treatment of its cooling tower through an external company. “The city has confirmed that there is no additional action needed at this time, and this poses no risk to anyone inside the building,” the museum said.
Outbreak Details and Public Health Response
City officials emphasized that positive test results do not confirm any building as the source of the outbreak, as tests cannot distinguish between live and dead bacteria. More than 50 people have been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease in connection with the Upper East Side cluster, with fewer than 20 still hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. This follows a major outbreak in Harlem last year that killed seven people and sickened over 100, traced to cooling towers atop Harlem hospital and a nearby construction site.
Understanding Legionnaires' Disease
Legionella bacteria thrive in warm water and can spread through building water systems like showerheads, hot tubs, and cooling towers. Cooling towers, typically on rooftops, regulate temperatures for systems like refrigeration but do not affect drinking water or indoor air conditioning. The disease is not transmitted person-to-person; infection occurs by inhaling tiny droplets of contaminated water. Symptoms, including cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and shortness of breath, develop two days to two weeks after exposure, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People aged 50 or older, smokers, vapers, those with chronic lung disease, or weakened immune systems are at higher risk. The disease is named after an outbreak at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in 1976.
