Authorities in New York state on Friday temporarily ordered the closure of all live poultry markets in New York City and three suburban counties after the detection of several cases of avian flu.
The disease has hit farms nationwide, led to the slaughter of millions of birds and forced up egg prices.
What we know about the New York outbreak
According to a notice on the state’s website, bird flu was detected at seven markets within the past week.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the 5-day closure would allow markets in the city as well as the counties of Westchester, Suffolk and Nassau to be cleaned and disinfected.
Authorities found avian flu in routine inspections at markets in Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn since January 31.
“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.
How dangerous is the bird flu to humans?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the virus poses a low risk to the general public.
It says 67 cases of bird flu in humans have been confirmed so far in the US, with illnesses being mild and mostly detected in farmworkers exposed to sick poultry or dairy cows.
The first bird flu death in the US was reported last month in Louisiana. Health officials said the person was older than 65, suffered underlying health problems, and had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a small non-commercial flock as well as wild birds.
Experts have voiced concern that a high virus circulation in mammals could allow for mutations that facilitate the spread of the disease among humans.
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