Eggs under suspicion of bird flu are being traced
Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock said it had traced all the hatching eggs supplied by the farm where the first case of highly pathogenic avian (or bird) influenza virus (HPAI) was reported.
The destination of these eggs are hatcheries in the states of Minas Gerais, Paraná, and Rio Grande do Sul. According to the ministry, the sanitation measures outlined in the contingency plan for both avian influenza and Newcastle disease have been adopted. Among the actions planned is the destruction of these eggs.
As a preventive measure, the government of Minas Gerais ordered the disposal of 450 tons of fertilized eggs and other materials involved, on Saturday (May 17).
“The initiative proved necessary to maintain sanitary control, following prior plans for possible occurrences of this type, ensuring containment and the eradication of the disease, as well as the maintenance of the sector’s productive capacity,” a statement by the state government reads.
The ministry stressed there is no proof of contamination in these eggs, and that it has adopted “all the necessary measures to protect national poultry farming.”
Bird flu
The first case of the virus in a commercial poultry farm was confirmed in Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul. Since the announcement of the first case, China, the European Union, and Argentina have suspended imports of Brazilian chicken meat, initially for 60 days.
Even though the focus is regional, trade restrictions, in the case of China and the European bloc, cover the entire Brazilian territory, due to requirements set out in trade deals with Brazil.
Data from the World Health Organization show that, since 2006, cases of the disease have been recorded in various parts of the world, especially in Asia, Africa, and northern Europe.
