A type of bird flu (avian influenza), called H5N1, was detected in birds at seven Live Bird Markets (LBMs) in New York City.
On February 7, 2025, out of an abundance of caution, the NYS Department of Agriculture issued a temporary shutdown of LBMs in NYC and surrounding counties on Long Island and in Westchester.
People exposed to sick birds with H5N1 (“contacts”) are asked to call the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) if they develop symptoms consistent with H5N1.
The current risk to New Yorkers remains low. No human-to-human transmission of H5N1 has been detected to date.
DOHMH recommends New Yorkers continue safe food handling practices at home to reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses.
