May 1, 2013

Mexico's National Service of Health, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) has confirmed the presence of avian flu AH7N3 in the Mexican state of Tlaxcala and has ordered the immediate slaughter of 950 birds as a "preventive measure".

It is the fourth Mexican state to report the disease during the past year; the others that have had outbreaks are Jalisco, Aguascalientes and Guanajuato.

The Mexican Ministry of State Agriculture and Livestock Development (SEFOA) noted in a press release "two irregular bird shipments coming from unknown providers" as the source for the outbreak.

Together with the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture, the SEFOA has since then monitored all incoming bird shipments into Tlaxcala state and has not detected any further bird flu cases. All monitor practices are carried out under the guidelines of the Mexico-US Commission for the prevention of Foot and Mouth Disease and other exotic animal diseases (CPA), the SEFOA added.

The agency also said that the poultry farmers whose birds are slaughtered will receive financial compensation.

"We need to proceed to with health and control in mind," said the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture representative in Tlaxcala. "We have also agreed that they will be paid for all the slaughtered birds".