What Is Legionnaires Disease Full List Of Nyc Buildings Linked To The Outbreak Including Guggenheim Museum

The Guggenheim Museum is among the 31 Upper East Side buildings where the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease was detected, officials revealed.

The museum, at 1071 Fifth Avenue and the owners of 18 other properties have already cleaned and disinfected their tainted water-cooling towers, according to the city Department of Health, which on Friday identified all of the infected properties.

The other 12 buildings were ordered to complete the deep cleaning to eradicate the Legionella bacteria by Saturday. The Guggenheim, which has an average of 1,100 daily visitors was not ordered to shut down at any point, the DOH said. The museum told The Post Saturday it took immediate remediation steps after learning of the presence of Legionella bacteria.

“The city has confirmed that there is no additional action needed at this time, and this poses no risk to anyone inside the building,” a Guggenheim spokesperson said, adding that the museum conducts monthly cooling tower testing and treatment. “The safety of our staff and the public are the utmost priority and we are continuing to follow all city guidelines.”

The city has issued a blanket warning to anyone who lives, works or has visited the infected neighborhood since late June to immediately contact a health care provider upon developing flu-like symptoms, as per NY Post.

At least 46 people have been diagnosed with Legionnaires, including 22 who remain hospitalized, some in intensive care, as per NY Post.

New York City Health Commissioner Alister Martin said the bacteria was detected in 31 towers and 19 had already been disinfected.

At a town hall this week, Martin said, “What we have in front of us is 160 cooling towers across this region that we are looking at, and we are not waiting” as per BBC.

According to the AP, Legionnaires' disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which grow in warm water and spread through building water systems. The bacteria can be found in places such as cooling towers, showerheads and hot tubs.

People usually become infected after breathing in tiny droplets of contaminated water.

According to the BBC, the current Upper East Side outbreak is linked to cooling towers on large buildings, where the bacteria can grow and spread through water mist.

According to the CDC, symptoms usually appear two days to two weeks after exposure. They include: cough, fever, headache, muscle aches, shortness of breath.

As per reports, people aged 50 or older, those who smoke or vape, people with chronic lung disease and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk.

About one in 10 people who develop Legionnaires' disease die from complications. Among people who get the disease in a healthcare facility, about one in four die.

The World Health Organization says untreated Legionnaires' disease usually gets worse during the first week and can lead to respiratory failure, shock, kidney failure or failure of multiple organs.

Khushi Arora is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she writes for the US Desk, covering everything happening in the United States, while maintaining quality and delivering impactful stories across all beats. She previously worked at Zee News for over a year where she explored multiple beats including News Desk, Education and Lifestyle. With a background in English Literature, Khushi blends sharp research with thoughtful storytelling, shaping stories that go beyond headlines and bring clarity and credibility to every piece she writes. Beyond the newsroom, she enjoys reading, watching cinema and loves having long conversations about books, films and everything in between.Read More