Approximately 500,000 new birds had been infected with influenza or avian flu, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and the Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency (Agrocalidad) reported on Monday. These birds, which are added to the first 350,000 patients -which were detected in the first case detected at the end of November 2022- and to 17,000 more -in two subsequent cases- correspond to two new outbreaks in the provinces of Cotopaxi and Bolívar.
This was stated by the head of the MAG, Bernardo Manzano, and the executive director of Agrocalidad, Patricio Almeida, who explained that the first of the two new cases occurred on a laying farm in the Latacunga canton, while the other was detected in a backyard. in the Guaranda canton. “They are small production units with animals basically for consumption,” said Almeida, who highlighted the three actions that have led to containing the disease: rapid intervention, biosafety measures, and permanent sampling.
The Ministry of Agriculture reports the first case of bird flu in Cotopaxi, and activates the epidemiological fence
Based on the figures expressed by Almeida, it is a total mortality of 867,000 birds from the end of November to date. Almeida explained that of the total, 90% of the deaths were due to the disease and the remaining 10% to the depopulation process due to the contingency plan.
For his part, Minister Manzano stressed that the production of chicken meat and table eggs has an economic, productive and social projection for the country, noting that it is part of a chain that includes the production of hard corn, the preparation of balanced food and poultry production that generates more than 300,000 jobs.
The minister explained that the poultry industry annually produces 273 million chickens, which is equivalent to 450,000 tons of meat and 3,812 million eggs. Regarding per capita consumption, Manzano pointed out that each Ecuadorian consumes 28.27 kg of chicken meat and 217 units of eggs per year.
And with the executive director of Agrocalidad, they calculated that infected birds only represent 0.15% to 0.20% of the national total.
Regarding the impact on the poultry sector, Manzano mentioned that two technical tables have been set up to monitor the situation: a technical table where the cases and the biosecurity situation of the affected farms are reported, and the financial table where analyzing flows to financially help farms with loans so that they can reactivate once Agrocalidad determines that they are out of danger.
New case of bird flu is detected in Cotopaxi, but authorities assure that it is contained
“We are working with the flows that have already been submitted to BanEcuador, we have had a first meeting with BanEcuador, also a meeting with Banco del Pacífico, and we also want to have meetings with other banks, to analyze that the flows are relevant to be able to help the affected farms,” said Manzano, who announced that this Wednesday they will have another meeting with BanEcuador to advance this aid process.
Meanwhile, regarding the controls, the executive director of Agrocalidad pointed out that the Agency has 850 technicians deployed nationwide carrying out surveillance activities and that the movement of poultry products is restricted in areas where outbreaks have been detected.
“In addition, we have activated control points that we have called BBC, Barrier and Control Blocks, which are deployed throughout the entire epidemiological fence, focus, perifocus and the surveillance zone precisely restricting the mobilization of vector or risk products” Almeida highlighted. They work with international cooperation, in recent days they received from the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) implements to increase their analytical capacity, in addition to other entities such as the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO).
Global impact
Minister Manzano assured that the cases of bird flu detected in the country are not occasional and respond to a situation that occurs in other countries and regions. 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.
Avian flu outbreaks set off alarm bells in countries in the region that issued a joint statement
A study by that organization indicates that “there is a tendency to believe that highly pathogenic avian influenza is seasonal, with outbreaks that begin with mild manifestations in September, grow in October and peak in February.”
For his part, Almeida indicated that the work he carries out in coordination with unions and associations ensures the supply of chicken meat and table eggs. “It is important that citizens stay informed through official channels and support the poultry sector by acquiring and consuming chicken meat and eggs, since they do not represent any problem for human health,” said the head of Agrocalidad. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
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