Avian Influenza cases in wild birds make Brazil reinforce health protocol

The Brazilian chicken industry has been on alert since the cases of Avian Influenza in Argentina and Uruguay. Given the routes of migratory birds, there was the understanding that at some point there would be cases of Avian Influenza in the country. These cases are expected to be restricted to wild birds, which, according to WOAH, does not change the Brazilian health status and keeps it free of the disease in commercial farms.

Birds usually migrate from North America in the winter to South America. The period of greatest risk traditionally occurs between the months of November to March. The Brazilian cases appeared when these birds were coming back to North America.

The map below clearly illustrates the routes that cross the Brazilian territory. Cases in the country are restricted to the Atlantic Route, seven of the occurrences were registered on the coast of Espírito Santo and one on the coast of Rio de Janeiro. After May, the tendency is for the risk of new occurrences to decrease significantly. This does not mean that Brazil should relax inspections, on the contrary, maintaining vigilance is essential so that there are no further developments between the months of November and March, in the next South American summer.

The state of zoosanitary emergency meets this need for speedy measures to combat the spread of the disease. It is essential to debureaucratize regulations and facilitate access to public funds to keep awareness campaigns active, among other containment measures. However, there is no reason for panic. Brazil does not run the risk of major losses in terms of production, given the sanitary rigor present in the country. Brazil strictly complies with biosecurity regulations. Commercial chicken farms in Brazil are highly controlled environments, from the circulation of people, temperature control, and even water supply.

Avian Influenza is a problem that must be taken seriously, as it is already done in Brazil, there is no reason for panic in the market. Brazil tends to maintain production close to 15 mln tons, while its export flow tends to reach around 4.9 mln tons, maintaining the global leadership of exports with some tranquility.

Tags: Brazil, chicken, North America, Argentina, Uruguay, birds, Avian influenza