Gov. Hochul on Friday ordered the temporary shutdown of live bird markets in New York City, Westchester, and Long Island following the detection of Avian Flu at seven locations in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.
Hochul said she was taking a proactive approach to get ahead of the disease in the wake of concerns over how quickly the highly pathogenic avian influenza is spreading.
“Over the last week, inspectors have detected seven cases of bird flu in poultry during a routine visit to live bird markets in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens,” Hochul said during a virtual public health briefing.
“My top priority will always be to keep New Yorkers safe, and I have directed our state agencies to use all available resources to ensure we are taking every measure necessary to keep the risk to the public low.
Hochul said the order is precautionary. The shutdown is set to remain in effect through Feb. 14.
During that time, Hochul said, markets must clean and disinfect, and undergo a state health inspection before they can reopen.
There have been a number of reports of animals and people catching bird flu across the U.S. Even so, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the risk to the public remains low.
Experts who have weighed in said there is low risk to the general public with a few exceptions.
Earlier this month, the CDC confirmed the first human death linked to the virus.
Meanwhile, the city’s health department is working closely with state officials to make sure workers at live bird markets receive essential information and that they receive treatment they need for any symptoms that arise.
“We are prepared to respond to any disease outbreak, including quickly ramping up testing and treatment, and working closely with providers and community partners to rapidly disseminate messaging,” said Michelle Morse, New York City’s acting health commissioner,.
Bird flu is a disease caused by a family of flu viruses primarily transmitted among birds. Tens of millions of birds have been slaughtered to limit the spread of the virus, which has led directly to the rising cost of poultry and eggs.