Guggenheim among 31 Upper East Side sites that tested positive for Legionella bacteria
The Guggenheim Museum and 30 other Upper East Side buildings have tested positive for Legionella bacteria in their water-cooling towers. City officials are working to disinfect these sites to contain an ongoing outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that has resulted in 46 infections.
Why it matters
Public health outbreaks in densely populated urban areas require rapid identification and remediation of environmental sources to prevent further hospitalizations.
The iconic Guggenheim Museum is among 31 Upper East Side buildings where water-cooling towers have tested positive for Legionella — the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease — amid the city’s ongoing investigation into an outbreak of the severe form of pneumonia, the city health department said Friday.
The Guggenheim, at 1071 Fifth Ave., and owners of 18 other properties have already completed the process of cleaning and disinfecting their water-cooling towers to rid them of the harmful bacteria, according to the city health department.
Dr. Alister Martin, the city health commissioner, said at an afternoon press briefing that the remaining cooling towers that tested positive will be remediated by Saturday.
“What we are doing is going to the source [of the outbreak] and taking that off the map,” Martin said. “When that happens, my expectation is, that is going to cause the resolution of this cluster.”
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