Health Department Investigating Possible Link Between Upper East Side Properties and Legionnaires’ Outbreak

Guggenheim Museum Among Properties Listed Among Commercial Buildings That Tested Positive for Legionella Bacteria

UPPER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN (July 23, 2026) – New York City Department of Health has linked a number of commercial properties in the Upper East Side to the ongoing Legionnaires’ outbreak that has killed 5 people so far.

A new report released Friday found that 31 buildings have been ordered to clean and disinfect their cooling towers. The famous Guggenheim Museum was among the buildings that actually tested positive for Legionella.

However, city leaders made it clear that a building testing positive does not necessarily establish that the building was a source of the outbreak. In particular, the tests that are conducted do not make any type of distinction between live and dead bacteria.

The ZIP Codes Most affected by the outbreak are 10075, 10028, and 10128. Daily counts for people affected by Legionnaires’ disease have continued to fall after July 7 when cases peaked.

A full investigation into the source of the outbreak remains ongoing at this time.

Liability for Upper East Side Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreaks

Building owners and property managers have a legal obligation to protect all the people in their buildings. Harm to tenants and visitors is reasonably foreseeable. This requires that they abide by all health and safety codes. Among other things, they must clean, disinfect, and test all of their cooling towers. There are a number of different ways that a property owner may have liability if one of their cooling towers tests positive for Legionella bacteria.

• A property owner may have failed to conduct monthly Legionella testing.
• A property owner may have failed to maintain their water temperature at an acceptable level.
• A property owner may have allowed water in their system to become stagnant.
• A property owner may have failed to clean and disinfected their cooling tower.

When a property owner has actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition on their property, they must take action. Failing to take action can form the basis of a negligence claim. Liability for any Legionnaires’ disease outbreak could extend to several parties. This includes the company that manufactured a cooling tower. For example, the tower may have had some type of defect that allowed water to reach unsafe temperatures.

Common Symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease

Legionnaires’ disease is a type of severe pneumonia that can be quite lethal for people who are older or who have pre-existing health conditions. For the most part, outbreaks can be prevented. According to the Centers for Disease Control, “We reviewed CDC-led Legionnaires’ disease outbreak investigations from 2015–2019. All of the deficiencies associated with outbreaks could have been prevented by comprehensive, properly implemented water management programs (WMPs).” There are a number of symptoms that people should keep in mind.

• Cough
• Fever
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• Shortness of breath
• Confusion
• Diarrhea

Many people are able to clear the illness on their own. But for many people, contracting the disease means that they go through a prolonged hospitalization. Unfortunately, many people sustain long-term damage to their lungs and other vital organs. This can impact their ability to work or even perform ordinary tasks. To make matters worse, property owners will almost never accept responsibility when an outbreak causes one of their guests or tenants to become injured. This is why it’s so important that victims carefully consider their legal options with a team of experienced attorneys.

Investigating New York City Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreaks

We at GLK Law extend our deepest condolences to all of the families who have lost loved ones in this Upper East Side Legionnaires’ disease outbreak. There needs to be a further investigation into all of the potential sources of the outbreak. Sadly, these outbreaks have become a routine occurrence across New York City in recent years. The NYC Health Department needs to do more to protect the public.

Have you or a loved one sustained a prolonged hospitalization or died after contracting Legionnaires’ disease in NYC? Our team of personal injury attorneys is here for you. We are deeply committed to ensuring that victims get the support and justice that they need to recover and move forward. Whether you just have questions or are wondering how an attorney might be able to help with your particular situation, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.