NEW YORK -- Gov. Kathy 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.
State officials were specific about their standards for cleaning and disinfecting. They said the process includes the removal of all organic debris from all equipment, caging and flooring. Also, all surfaces must be cleaned with soap or detergent, rinsed with water and saturated with a disinfectant appropriate for killing the avian influenza virus, in accordance with the manufacturer's label.
"Those who have regular contact with livestock and wild birds should safeguard their health by wearing personal protective equipment when in contact with these animals," said state Health Commissioner James McDonald. "We will remain vigilant in working with our state and local partners to monitor for detections and reduce any potential risks to public health and safety."
Alex Rodriguez, manager of Manhattan Chicken Market, said he was awaiting word from health inspectors.
"We still have to wait for the inspectors to see what's going on and how it will affect business," Rodriguez said. "We really don't know anything about it yet."
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.
The H5N1 strain of bird flu has been spreading among wild birds, poultry, cows and other animals.
Although human infections in the United States have been rare, bird flu has infected 67 people, according to the CDC. The illnesses have been mild, and mostly detected among farmworkers who were exposed to sick poultry or daily cows.
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. Bird flu cost the government at least $660 million by February 2023.
Outbreaks among commercial poultry farms have increased over the last two months. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said that 85 flocks and nearly 24 million birds were affected by bird flu by the end of January.
As a result, 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.