Government analyzes with commercial houses the importation of vaccines against avian influenza

The Government prepares a vaccination plan for birds that are exposed to avian influenza, present in the country since the end of last November. This was announced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) on the afternoon of Monday, January 23, through a statement.

The vaccine reduces the mortality rate of infected birds from 80 to 40%, but it does not prevent infections

The State portfolio pointed out that together with international commercial houses, the type of vaccine suitable to immunize poultry and backyard birds is being analyzed.

Since November, nine outbreaks of avian influenza have been detected and contained in the country in Cotopaxi, Bolívar, Pichincha and Tungurahua; and more than 867,000 birds have died, 90% due to the disease and 10% culled.

According to associations of poultry farmers in the province of Tungurahua, until last Friday the sector recorded losses of almost $8 million for one million birds affected by the virus.

Meanwhile, after the announcement about the analysis of the start of vaccination, the MAG recalled that the presence of avian influenza in Ecuador is not an isolated case. According to the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO), avian influenza is present in several countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and America. On the continent, cases have been reported in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile and Ecuador.

The ministry revealed that a meeting held this Monday, among the members of the Technical Subcommittee of the National Poultry Farming Commission, analyzed which vaccine would be adequate to immunize birds against the virus strain detected in the country, as well as the availability of the number of doses that commercial houses have.

However, in the subcommittee they clarified that although vaccination helps the symptoms of the disease to be milder in the affected farms and decreases the mortality rate from approximately 80% to 40%, its use does not prevent the spread of the farms .

Representatives of the National Corporation of Poultry Farmers (Conave), Union of Egg Producers (Uniproh), Association of Veterinarians of Ecuador (Amevea-E), Central University, San Francisco de Quito University, Undersecretary of Livestock Production of Quito participate in the Subcommittee. Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, as well as the Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency (Agrocalidad).

Small egg producers held a sit-in in Quito to demand concrete solutions from the Government regarding avian flu outbreaks

Subsequently, the subcommittee will meet to develop the regulatory framework for the protocols, procedures, registration, importation, custody, and regulation of the use of the vaccine.

“The technicians work so that the protocols for the use of the vaccine comply with the recommendations of the World Organization for Animal Health,” reported the MAG. (YO)