New York poultry markets ordered to close temporarily as bird flu concerns spread

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered a temporary closure of live-poultry markets after bird flu was detected in the outer boroughs of New York City.

The order, signed by Hochul on Friday, requires the markets to close down between Feb. 7 and Feb. 14 as facilities undergo a complete disinfection process.

It calls for markets that have not tested positive for bird flu to sell down all inventory and shut down for five days after the cleaning process in New York City, plus Westchester, Suffolk and Nassau counties.

Sellers that do have indications of bird flu among their flock must contact the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Hochul described the measure as proactive, though seven cases of bird flu were detected in Queens, the Bronx and Brooklyn in the first week of the month.

“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 Wildlife Conservation Society said on Saturday that three ducks died at the Queens Zoo due to avian influenza.

At least 12 birds died at the Bronx Zoo “that may have had exposure to the virus,” the society said. Lab testing must be completed to confirm the cause of death.

“As a precaution, over the last two weeks, we moved vulnerable bird species to protected areas in our parks,” the conservation society said. “Our veterinarians and curators continue to closely monitor the situation in the region and are collaborating with City, State, and Federal agencies.”

Concerns about bird flu continue to rise across the U.S. as cases grow, contributing to the skyrocketing cost of eggs. Thieves stole 100,000 eggs in Pennsylvania earlier this week, the total worth racking up to around $40,000.

In late January, New York Attorney General Letitia James warned businesses against price gouging.

“The bird flu is affecting poultry farms and causing a national shortage, but this should not be an excuse for businesses to dramatically raise prices,” James said.

Poultry byproducts aren’t the only household item that are ruffling feathers — a new strain of bird flu has been detected in dairy cows. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said a different strain was found in Nevada cows for the first time through genome sequencing of milk.

The Nevada Department of Agriculture was conducting an on-farm investigation and working to prevent spread, the USDA said.

Several studies have shown that commercial pasteurization — using heat to treat milk — inactivates the virus, making milk that’s safe for consumption.