May 16, 2013

Mexico slaughters 55,000 birds to contain avian flu outbreak

Mexico has slaughtered 55,000 birds in Puebla due to a reported H7N3 avian flu outbreak in the state, said the Mexican Secretary of Agriculture in a press release.

The National Service of Health, Food Safety and Food Quality (Senasica) gave the order after laboratory tests proved "positive" for the virus at a poultry farm in the city of Palmar de Bravo.

"Our investigations prove that the virus outbreak was due to 75-week-old to 135-week-old hens who completed their first egg-laying cycle," the Senasica said. "They came from other [Mexican] states with previous history of virus outbreaks."

According to Spanish news agency Agencia EFE, the Senasica also removed hazardous materials, bird feed, cages, and carried out cleaning and disinfection measures at the affected poultry farm. 

The Senasica inspected other 271 poultry processing plants and farms in Puebla. According to the Secretary of Agriculture, "it has not found further evidence of any other outbreaks."

The Senasica has also implemented controls on live bird transport, along with products and by-products, and has strengthened in-farm biosecurity programmes.

In 2012, Mexico detected an avian flu outbreak in Jalisco state, where more than 22 million birds were slaughtered as a preventive measure.