Two new cases of avian influenza were detected in the country, this time in the province of Tungurahua, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) reported this Monday morning, January 16.
New outbreaks of bird flu increase the number of infected birds in Ecuador to 867,000
These new outbreaks are added to the first five detected before in the provinces of Cotopaxi and Bolívar since November 29, 2022. Before these new cases, the infected birds numbered around 867,000, although with these new infections the MAG has not detailed how much sick birds rise.
The MAG reported that the outbreaks are contained and were detected in the monitoring that its technicians and those of the Phytosanitary and Animal Health Regulation and Control Agency (Agrocalidad) have carried out since the declaration of animal health emergency on November 29; in addition to the alerts given by the producers.
“Agrocalidad and the MAG execute the procedures established in the National Contingency Plan, once the depopulation of the farms has been carried out. In addition, active surveillance has been established in the intervention area,” the State portfolio detailed, adding that the Government, together with the poultry sector, are working to ensure market supplies of chicken meat and eggs.
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The poultry industry annually produces 273 million chickens, which is equivalent to 450,000 tons of meat and 3,812 million eggs. Each Ecuadorian consumes 28.27 kg of chicken meat and 217 units of eggs per year, according to industry statistics.
In this way, in the province of Tungurahua the controls that are carried out in Bolívar and Cotopaxi are applied. Patricio Almeida, executive director of Agrocalidad, explained last week that the movement of poultry products is restricted in areas where outbreaks have been detected.
He added that control points called BBC -Barrier and Control Blocks- were activated, which are deployed throughout the entire epidemiological fence, focus, perifocus and the surveillance zone precisely restricting the mobilization of vector or risk products.
In addition, national authorities work with international cooperation: the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), the World Organization for Animal Health (OMSA), among others.
According to the OMSA, avian influenza is present in countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, America. In this last continent, its presence has been detected in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
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