NYC live poultry markets closing for cleaning amid bird flu concerns. Here's what happens next.
NEW YORK -- All live poultry markets in New York City, Westchester County and Long Island will be shut down starting Monday after bird flu was detected at some facilities.
The state-ordered shutdown will last until at least Friday, Feb. 14, so the markets can be disinfected and reinspected. All surfaces must be cleaned with soap or detergent and covered with disinfectant, and organic material must be removed from cages, equipment and flooring, according to the state order.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the shutdown last week after state inspectors found evidence of bird flu at seven poultry markets in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Those markets were immediately ordered to shut down, while all other markets had the weekend to sell off any remaining inventory.
"Out of an abundance of caution and to thwart any further transmission, we're issuing a notice and order to temporarily shut down all live bird markets in New York City, as well as in Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties," Hochul said Friday, adding, "For a weeklong period, no poultry can be delivered to those live bird markets."
"No immediate public health threat"
Avian flu is highly contagious, but so far health experts say the risk to humans remains low.
"At this time, there's no human cases of avian influenza that have been diagnosed in New York State. And just to give you some context, we've had 67 cases in the United States since 2022," New York Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said during last week's announcement. "Right now, the New York State Department of Health assesses the threat to the public as low. There's no immediate public health threat."
Eggs in short supply
All of this is having a devastating effect on chicken and egg prices, which are soaring. Eggs, in particular, are becoming increasingly hard to find in grocery stores.
Experts say it could take some time for prices to come back down, since it can take six to nine months to get production flowing again from a flock that was depopulated.
NYC zoos also impacted
The Wildlife Conservation Society said last Friday three ducks had died at the Queens Zoo, and nine wild birds and three ducks that may have been exposed died at the Bronx Zoo.
Officials said any vulnerable species were moved to protective areas, and the parks would remain open because there is little risk of visitors coming into contact with birds.
Find more information about safety measures online here. People are urged to report sick or dead birds to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets at 518-457-3502 for poultry, or the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at 518-478-2203 for wild birds.
