All reside hen markets in New York Metropolis and in a number of close by counties should shut quickly in hopes of curbing the unfold of hen flu, which was detected at a number of the markets prior to now week, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced on Friday.

The order, which got here from the state’s Division of Agriculture and Markets, impacts the roughly 80 reside markets in New York Metropolis and in Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Seven circumstances of hen flu had been detected at markets in Queens, the Bronx and Brooklyn.

Markets with confirmed circumstances should eliminate their stock, whereas these the place hen flu has not been detected have three days to both promote or get rid of all their stock. All markets should then be cleaned and disinfected earlier than closing for at the very least 5 days.

“Safeguarding public well being is all about being proactive,” Governor Hochul mentioned in an announcement, including that she would “proceed to take these measured, common sense steps” to attempt to cease the unfold of the virus.

H5N1, a type of hen flu, has affected greater than 156 million business, yard and wild birds in america since 2022. As hen flu has unfold throughout the globe, public well being specialists have grow to be more and more involved about reside animal markets.

There have been round 70 reside animal markets in New York Metropolis as of final yr, a few of which had been close to colleges and residential buildings. Most of them butcher and promote chickens, geese and quails, whereas round 1 / 4 additionally slaughter bigger animals like sheep, goats, cows and pigs. They promote each to native eating places and to most people.

James McDonald, the state well being commissioner, mentioned in an announcement on Friday that hen flu didn’t current an instantaneous risk to public well being and that there have been no identified circumstances of hen flu in New Yorkers. Individuals who usually work together with livestock and wild birds ought to put on private protecting gear when involved with them, he added.

Michelle Morse, the performing commissioner of the town’s Well being Division, mentioned in an announcement on Friday that the danger would improve if the virus developed the power to transmit between individuals. The division was working with the state to ensure that individuals who work at reside markets are knowledgeable and obtain therapy in the event that they develop signs.

Nonetheless, some believed the state’s order on Friday didn’t go far sufficient.

“Whereas I’m glad that lastly the governor is waking as much as what a critical hazard to the general public these markets maintain, it’s not sufficient to merely shut them down for one week,” mentioned Edita Birnkrant, the chief director of New Yorkers for Clear, Livable and Secure Streets, an animal rights group that has documented what it describes because the “horrific situations” at reside markets for a number of years.

Ms. Birnkrant mentioned that when the markets reopen, they are going to nonetheless obtain 1000’s of birds and different animals which can be sick with hen flu and different illnesses.

Linda Rosenthal, a Democratic member of the State Meeting from Manhattan, mentioned that the markets needs to be closed for the foreseeable future and that it was a mistake to permit a few of them to promote their birds for 3 extra days earlier than cleansing and shutting.

Since 2019, she has repeatedly launched a invoice that will create a process drive to check the markets’ security to find out whether or not they need to proceed to function.

“We’ve been following all of the violations and inspections of those markets, and so they constantly are given violations by the Division of Agriculture and Markets for filthy situations, grime buildup, blood far and wide,” she mentioned.

“I don’t suppose in 5 days something will be resolved,” she mentioned.

New York State inspectors closed seven institutions for 5 days on common after they had been hit by hen flu — not all had been H5N1 — in 2022 and 2023, however allowed them to reopen after cleansing and disinfection.

Final month, the proprietor of a duck farm on Lengthy Island mentioned 100,000 geese needed to be killed after hen flu was detected there.

Apoorva Mandavilli contributed reporting.

All reside hen markets in New York Metropolis and in a number of close by counties should shut quickly in hopes of curbing the unfold of hen flu, which was detected at a number of the markets prior to now week, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced on Friday.

The order, which got here from the state’s Division of Agriculture and Markets, impacts the roughly 80 reside markets in New York Metropolis and in Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Seven circumstances of hen flu had been detected at markets in Queens, the Bronx and Brooklyn.

Markets with confirmed circumstances should eliminate their stock, whereas these the place hen flu has not been detected have three days to both promote or get rid of all their stock. All markets should then be cleaned and disinfected earlier than closing for at the very least 5 days.

“Safeguarding public well being is all about being proactive,” Governor Hochul mentioned in an announcement, including that she would “proceed to take these measured, common sense steps” to attempt to cease the unfold of the virus.

H5N1, a type of hen flu, has affected greater than 156 million business, yard and wild birds in america since 2022. As hen flu has unfold throughout the globe, public well being specialists have grow to be more and more involved about reside animal markets.

There have been round 70 reside animal markets in New York Metropolis as of final yr, a few of which had been close to colleges and residential buildings. Most of them butcher and promote chickens, geese and quails, whereas round 1 / 4 additionally slaughter bigger animals like sheep, goats, cows and pigs. They promote each to native eating places and to most people.

James McDonald, the state well being commissioner, mentioned in an announcement on Friday that hen flu didn’t current an instantaneous risk to public well being and that there have been no identified circumstances of hen flu in New Yorkers. Individuals who usually work together with livestock and wild birds ought to put on private protecting gear when involved with them, he added.

Michelle Morse, the performing commissioner of the town’s Well being Division, mentioned in an announcement on Friday that the danger would improve if the virus developed the power to transmit between individuals. The division was working with the state to ensure that individuals who work at reside markets are knowledgeable and obtain therapy in the event that they develop signs.

Nonetheless, some believed the state’s order on Friday didn’t go far sufficient.

“Whereas I’m glad that lastly the governor is waking as much as what a critical hazard to the general public these markets maintain, it’s not sufficient to merely shut them down for one week,” mentioned Edita Birnkrant, the chief director of New Yorkers for Clear, Livable and Secure Streets, an animal rights group that has documented what it describes because the “horrific situations” at reside markets for a number of years.

Ms. Birnkrant mentioned that when the markets reopen, they are going to nonetheless obtain 1000’s of birds and different animals which can be sick with hen flu and different illnesses.

Linda Rosenthal, a Democratic member of the State Meeting from Manhattan, mentioned that the markets needs to be closed for the foreseeable future and that it was a mistake to permit a few of them to promote their birds for 3 extra days earlier than cleansing and shutting.

Since 2019, she has repeatedly launched a invoice that will create a process drive to check the markets’ security to find out whether or not they need to proceed to function.

“We’ve been following all of the violations and inspections of those markets, and so they constantly are given violations by the Division of Agriculture and Markets for filthy situations, grime buildup, blood far and wide,” she mentioned.

“I don’t suppose in 5 days something will be resolved,” she mentioned.

New York State inspectors closed seven institutions for 5 days on common after they had been hit by hen flu — not all had been H5N1 — in 2022 and 2023, however allowed them to reopen after cleansing and disinfection.

Final month, the proprietor of a duck farm on Lengthy Island mentioned 100,000 geese needed to be killed after hen flu was detected there.

Apoorva Mandavilli contributed reporting.