New York Governor Kathy Hochul has issued an urgent order to close 80 live bird markets in New York City and surrounding counties after seven cases of bird flu were detected in poultry. The affected counties include Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk. This immediate action comes in response to the avian flu found during routine inspections in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens.
The governor’s directive mandates that no new birds can be delivered to these markets, and all existing inventory must either be sold or destroyed. Officials have emphasized that the current measures are purely precautionary, noting that there is no immediate public health threat. However, given the previous spread of bird flu to cattle and past human infections in the U.S., authorities are not taking any chances.
Markets will only be allowed to reopen after undergoing a thorough cleaning and inspection process. This temporary closure aims to ensure that the virus is eradicated and public health is safeguarded.
Sources:
https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB1118_.pdf
https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/resources/reports/immunization-examination-requirements/