Bird flu, or avian flu, has been a growing concern recently, with cases edging closer to home for residents in New York City and New Jersey. The situation escalated on Friday, February 7th, when authorities mandated the temporary shutdown of live poultry markets in New York City and neighboring suburban areas for a week. This action followed the detection of the H5N1 strain of avian flu in seven birds during routine inspections at live markets across the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. Adding to the unease, by Wednesday, February 12th, three parks in Monmouth County, New Jersey, were closed as a precautionary measure after 25 dead geese were discovered. Officials are currently conducting tests to determine if a bird flu outbreak is the cause.
Dead geese found in New Jersey parks spark bird flu outbreak concerns in NYC and NJ in February 2025
February 13th Updates: Monmouth County Park Closures
This week saw the closure of three Monmouth County parks in New Jersey after dozens of geese were found deceased. According to ABC7NY reports, officials in Allentown are awaiting laboratory results to confirm whether a bird flu outbreak is responsible for the deaths. The affected parks include Sensi Park, Heritage Park, and Dr. Farmer’s Park, all located in Allentown. Local authorities are advising the public to refrain from touching any dead birds and to report such sightings to Borough Hall for proper removal.
This article will be continuously updated as more information becomes available.
Bird Flu Detection in NYC Live Poultry Markets
On Friday, February 7th, routine inspections at live poultry markets in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens revealed the presence of the H5N1 strain of Avian Flu in seven birds. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture describes this strain as “a viral disease of poultry…causing severe disease and significant death loss.” This discovery prompted the immediate, temporary closure of all live poultry markets within New York City, as well as in Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties. These closures are scheduled to remain in effect until February 14th, 2025.
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During a public health briefing broadcast online, New York Governor Kathy Hochul addressed residents, stating, “For a week-long period, no poultry can be delivered to those live bird markets. Each uninfected market must sell down all inventory, undergo thorough cleaning and disinfection, and then remain closed for at least five days. Each must then be inspected by our State Ag and Markets before they can reopen.”
Governor Hochul sought to reassure the public, emphasizing that “people should not be concerned,” as there is “no immediate public health threat.” She clarified that while the bird flu poses a risk to individuals in close contact with poultry, cows, and other animals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has assessed the risk to the general public as low.
Since its initial detection in dairy cows in March 2024, there have been 67 confirmed human cases of avian flu globally, including the first reported death in February in Louisiana. The Louisiana case involved a 65-year-old individual who had been in contact with sick and deceased backyard livestock. Importantly, no human cases have been identified in either New Jersey or New York to date.
Governor Hochul described the market closures as “simply measured common-sense steps that will curb the spread of bird flu.” She added, “Safeguarding public health is all about being proactive and especially when it comes to fighting infectious diseases.”
A full transcript of Governor Hochul’s public health briefing is available here.
New Jersey’s Proactive Measures Against Bird Flu
In response to the live market closures in New York City, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture communicated directly with The Hoboken Girl, confirming that “there have been no Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza cases in poultry, including within live bird markets or backyard flocks in New Jersey” in 2024 and so far in 2025. They emphasized the routine testing conducted by the Division of Animal Health on live bird markets and backyard flocks in New Jersey for avian flu.
The Department has requested New Jersey live bird markets to undertake “voluntary cleaning and disinfection of their market and equipment” and to observe a waiting period before restocking. Distributors serving these markets have also been advised to disinfect their facilities. Follow-up testing will be conducted at New Jersey markets and distributor locations after cleaning procedures are completed.
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture stated, “We will continue to monitor HPAI cases in poultry, wild birds, and livestock in our surrounding areas and around the country.”
Current Bird Flu Outbreaks in New Jersey: What We Know
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has not yet released a statement specifically addressing the recent events in NYC. His most recent public statement on the issue was on January 17th, when he informed the public that state agencies are actively monitoring bird flu occurrences in both domestic and wild bird populations within New Jersey.
According to Governor Murphy’s January statement, “While there have been recent confirmations of deaths in localized wild bird populations in parts of New Jersey, there have been no recent reports in domestic poultry or cattle and no human infections in the state.” The wild bird deaths referenced in the statement pertain to the detection of the virus in wild birds, primarily snow geese and Canada geese, across New Jersey starting in December 2024. A recent CDC report indicates that the latest detections of bird flu in wild birds involved four Snow Geese in Warren County on January 22nd.
While no recent detections have been reported in New Jersey livestock, the H5 strain of avian flu was detected in the state’s wastewater as of February 3rd. This follows a surge in positive samples from the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, with the initial detection occurring on January 6th. As reported by NorthJersey.com, the source of the virus in the wastewater is currently unknown. For ongoing tracking of detected samples, refer to this link.
The public is urged to report any sightings of sick or deceased wild birds to the Department of Environmental Protection at 877-927-6337.
Potential Impact on Poultry Product Availability and Prices in New Jersey
Poultry prices have been climbing in recent months, with availability in local supermarkets becoming increasingly limited. The recent bird flu developments in NYC and New Jersey are likely to exacerbate these issues for residents in Hoboken, Jersey City, and across the region.
Food economist Professor David Ortega from Michigan State University explained to ABC News that when avian flu infects a bird, the infected bird and the entire flock must be culled to prevent further spread of the virus.
Professor Ortega noted, “When a flock that used to lay eggs is culled, it can take time to get a new flock to start laying eggs again.” Similarly, repopulating a culled flock takes considerable time before those birds become productive again.
Given the close proximity of New York City and the confirmed presence of the virus in New Jersey, residents of the Garden State should anticipate that bird flu related procedures will further impact the already elevated costs of poultry products, including eggs.
“Because of the impacts that the bird flu has on the industry and just the way that the supply chains for these products are built, there might be stockouts in certain regions across the country,” Professor Ortega told ABC News.
New Jersey 101.5, using data from TradingEconomics.com, tracked the surge in egg prices across New Jersey supermarkets. At the beginning of December 2024, the average price for a dozen eggs was $3.93, rising to $5.81 in January and reaching $7.09 as of February 7th.
A February 7th egg market report from the USDA indicates that egg prices are expected to continue their upward trend. The report states, “Offerings remain very light with little chance for improvement in the near term. Shell egg availability remains limited and inconsistent in many retail markets.”
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