(Reuters) - New York Attorney General Letitia James urged customers of 23andMe on Tuesday to delete their accounts and protect their data after the DNA-testing company filed for bankruptcy over the weekend.

"New Yorkers' genetic data is sensitive information that must be protected at all costs," James said in an alert issued to consumers.

23andMe filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. on Sunday, after struggling with weak demand for its ancestry testing kits and a 2023 data breach that damaged its reputation.

The company has said the bankruptcy process will not affect how it stores, manages or protects customer data, but users have expressed concern, with many posting on social media to lay out steps to delete accounts.

James said New York residents could contact her office if they were facing issues in deleting their information stored by 23andMe.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta had also urged customers on Friday to delete their genetic data, citing 23andMe's financial distress.