An outbreak of deadly Legionnaires’ disease that’s sickened 63 people across New York now has impacted a world-famous museum.
The Big Apple’s Metropolitan Museum of Art – which can see more than 33,000 visitors in a single day – is one of 76 of Upper East Side buildings that have been ordered to clean their cooling towers because of the spread.
Cooling towers, which are devices designed to remove heat from water sources and often sit on building tops, can provide an environment where the Legionella bacteria that causes the disease thrives.
The pneumonia-like illness typically occurs when people drink contaminated water or breathe in contaminated water droplets, like the mist the cooling towers release. But cleaning the towers can ensure the bacteria remains below critical levels.
The museum did not immediately return The Independent’s request for comment on the matter but a spokesperson told The Associated Press that it was working on the required clean-up and testing and that visitors and staff would not be at risk. The museum is normally closed on Wednesday and canceled the day’s activities to ease the process.
The Met isn’t the only museum that’s been told to clean up, too. The nearby Guggenheim Museum was among the buildings New York City officials said would need to take action last week.
There was no present danger there, too, a Guggenheim spokesperson told Hyperallergic .
New York City health officials are still working to determine the source of the outbreak – something testing cannot confirm. That’s because only live bacteria can cause illness and the tests do not determine whether the bacteria is alive or dead.
Results take up to two weeks to return, the health department said.
Under city law, building owners must test cooling towers for Legionella every 31 days, WABC reports.
As the search goes on, cases have continued to climb. While there have been no deaths during the outbreak, a dozen patients are currently hospitalized, 40 have been discharged and 11 were never hospitalized, according to data released Tuesday.
Diagnoses spiked during the first days of the month, according to a city chart tracking the outbreak.
Symptoms can include fever, chills, muscle aches and cough, as well as headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, confusion and diarrhea.
People who are older than 50, who smoke or vape or suffer from medical conditions including diabetes and chronic heart, lung, kidney or liver disease are at an increased risk for developing the disease.
Illness usually occurs after repeated exposure and most people who are exposed to Legionella do not develop Legionnaires’ disease.
There is no vaccine or medicine to prevent infections, but cases can be treated with antibiotics. Most people get better with early treatment, but it is fatal in about 10 percent of cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
