SAO PAULO, Brazil – The Brazilian authorities on Monday formally declared a state of animal well being emergency for 180 days in response to the detection, for the primary time within the nation, of the extremely pathogenic avian influenza virus in wild birds, in keeping with a doc signed by Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro.
Infection by the H5N1 subtype of avian flu in wild birds doesn’t set off commerce bans, primarily based on pointers of the World Organization for Animal Health. However, a case of fowl flu on a farm often ends in your entire flock being killed and may set off commerce restrictions from importing international locations.
Brazil is the world’s greatest rooster meat exporter with $9.7 billion in gross sales final yr.
Brazil has up to now confirmed 5 circumstances of the H5N1 in wild birds, together with 4 in Espirito Santo state and one in Rio de Janeiro state.
Three of the 4 circumstances in Espirito Santo had been confirmed in coastal cities of that state whereas one was not, suggesting the chance of contagion inland has risen.
Though Brazil’s primary meat producing states are within the south, the federal government is on alert after the confirmed circumstances, as avian flu in wild birds has been adopted by transmission to business flocks in some international locations.
Shares in Brazil-based BRF SA BRFS3.SA, the world’s greatest rooster exporter, had been up 3.6% earlier than the federal government announcement and ended the day 0.5% decrease.
Over the weekend, the Health Ministry mentioned samples of 33 suspected circumstances of avian influenza in people in Espirito Santo, the place Brazil confirmed the primary circumstances in wild birds final week, got here again unfavourable for the H5N1 subtype.
Two different new suspected circumstances are being nonetheless investigated, authorities mentioned. — Reuters
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
