A live bird market at the CNY Regional Market is expected to be back in business Friday, after the state detected avian flu in its poultry population.
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets said the avian flu was discovered during a routine inspection at a live bird market in Onondaga County. Commissioner Richard Ball said the virus was confirmed by a national veterinary service lab on March 20.
“If we see anything that's out of the ordinary, birds not looking healthy or finding an occasional one that has deceased, those are warning signs clearly,” Ball said. “It's very obvious and something we pounce on because (avian flu is) exceedingly contagious amongst the bird population."
Ball said the live bird market, a tenant of the CNY Regional Market, was immediately closed and the birds were euthanized. After being sanitized, the business was inspected again Wednesday morning and passed inspection.
The USDA said 470 birds were affected.
In early February, live bird markets in New York City were shut down after an outbreak of avian flu. And there have been 10 detections across the state this month in markets and backyard flocks.
Still, Ball said the general public has very little reason to be concerned.
"The risk to humans is very, very low with avian influenza from poultry,” he said. “The risk to the public is very low. No birds from the impacted establishment have gone into the fresh marketplace, the meat market, or anything."
Ball recommends always making sure you’re cooking meat to the proper temperatures.
He said he has been working closely with the New York State Department of Health, the USDA, and officials in other states to control and prevent any future outbreaks of avian flu.
