New York City, New York — Health officials have expanded their response to the growing Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side after 76 buildings tested positive for Legionella bacteria, including the world-famous Metropolitan Museum of Art and several elite private schools.
The latest findings come as city officials continue investigating an outbreak that has already sickened 63 people, prompting emergency remediation efforts across the affected neighborhoods.
Met Museum and Elite Schools Ordered to Clean Cooling Towers
According to the New York City Department of Health, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is among 20 properties ordered to complete remediation by Thursday after testing detected Legionella bacteria in their cooling tower systems.
Several well-known Upper East Side private schools also appeared on the list, including The Chapin School, The Spence School, and The Dalton School, all of which were instructed to clean and disinfect their cooling towers in accordance with city health guidelines.
Meanwhile, officials said 57 additional buildings, including the Guggenheim Museum, have already completed the required remediation process.
The Department of Health has now sampled 183 cooling towers across ZIP codes 10028, 10128 and 10075 as investigators work to identify possible sources of exposure.
Health Officials Continue Aggressive Investigation
New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin said inspectors are continuing to examine buildings where preliminary testing detected Legionella bacteria.
“We are inspecting every building with a positive PCR test for the presence of live or dead Legionella bacteria. We will issue violations to building owners found not to have been properly maintaining their cooling towers.”
Officials noted that the current list of 76 affected buildings is more than double the number initially announced just days earlier, reflecting the ongoing testing effort rather than confirmation that every location is responsible for spreading the disease.
Met Museum Says Visitors Are Not at Risk
Following the Department of Health’s notification, the Metropolitan Museum of Art said it immediately began the required remediation process.
The museum canceled scheduled activities on its usual Wednesday closure day, while non-essential staff members were instructed to work remotely as cleanup efforts continued.
In a statement, museum officials emphasized that public health experts do not believe visitors or staff inside the museum face an immediate health risk.
“Based on guidance from the city and public health experts, this finding does not pose a risk to staff or visitors inside the Museum.”
The museum also said it is working closely with city officials and independent water management specialists while follow-up testing is completed.
Outbreak Has Sickened 63 People
Health officials said 63 people have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease during the outbreak.
Of those patients, 52 have required hospitalization, though no deaths have been reported so far.
According to city health officials, people at the highest risk of developing severe illness include adults over age 50, smokers or those who vape, individuals with chronic lung disease, and people with weakened immune systems.
Residents who recently visited the affected Upper East Side neighborhoods and later develop flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, chills or difficulty breathing, are being urged to seek medical attention promptly.
City Leaders Call for Faster Response
The growing outbreak has also sparked criticism over the city’s handling of the situation.
City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who represents the Upper East Side, argued that officials should have required cooling towers in the affected area to be disinfected immediately instead of waiting for laboratory test results.
She said the City Council plans to hold a hearing to review the response and evaluate whether stronger oversight is needed to prevent future outbreaks.
As health officials continue testing cooling towers and monitoring new cases, remediation efforts remain underway across dozens of affected properties in an effort to stop the spread of Legionella bacteria.
What are your thoughts on the city’s response to the Legionnaires’ outbreak? Do you think building inspections and cooling tower maintenance rules should be strengthened to help prevent similar public health incidents? Share your thoughts respectfully in the comments below.
