New York City reported Legionella bacteria in cooling towers along Museum Mile, prompting cleanup orders as summer visitor traffic remains high. Health officials linked an Upper East Side cluster of Legionnaires’ disease to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Cooper Hewitt, and the Jewish Museum. Testing and remediation of cooling systems are underway, and inspections continue across affected buildings. Legionnaires’ disease is a pneumonia caused by Legionella that spreads via inhaled aerosolized droplets from warm water sources such as cooling towers. Officials report case growth has slowed, and risk is considered low once remediation begins, with museums stating no current risk to staff or visitors.
