Given the new cases of avian influenza (AI) that have occurred in recent days in the country, a government meeting will be held this Tuesday to analyze preventive actions against the disease and adopt new measures to strengthen controls. From Wednesday to today 5 cases were known and a health emergency was declared.
The meeting, which will be behind closed doors, will be attended by the Minister of the Economy, Sergio Massa, the nation’s Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Juan Jose Bahillo, the president and vice president of Senasa, Diana Guillen AND Rodolfo Acerbirespectively.
On February 14, the first of a wild bird was recorded in Laguna de los Pozuelos, Jujuy. Three days later, on the 17th of this month, the second case occurred in Laguna de las Mojarras, Cordoba, also in a wild bird. The third case was also registered on Saturday in the province of Cordoba, but this time in Alejo Ledesma, with a backyard bird. On the same day, a backyard bird in Cerrillos, Salta also tested positive. And on Sunday the disease was detected in Villa Cañas, Santa Fe, with a backyard bird.
Until now, in Argentina there are no known positive cases in commercial birds (in the production of meat and eggs), unlike what happened in Bolivia and Peru. Meanwhile, cases of wild or backyard birds were known in Uruguay and Chile; and suspected cases, without positive confirmation, in Paraguay and Brazil.
Being able to control that the disease does not enter the commercial circuit is essential for thisThe country retains the health status of Argentina. Therefore, from Senasa they have asked for extreme biosecurity measures in farms so that they do not affect exports in this sector.
to exist more than 1,000 poultry farmss producing eggs in 18 provinces, 15.291 million eggs were produced in Argentina in 2022, 8.46% more than in 2021, with a laying stock of 51 million birds. Of the total produced, 97% went to internal consumption and the remaining 3% went to the external market.
Exports grew by 17% in 2022, reaching more than 50 international markets with the product, in its various variants.
In the case of poultry meat, 2.5 million tons are produced annually 10% is exported, mainly in China (41%). In 2022, the industry shipped 254,000 tons of this product, up 7% from 2021, and $470 million in foreign exchange was generated, an increase of 24%.
The probability of transmission of avian influenza to humans is very low, And if it occurs, it is administered through the respiratory tract, through the mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth). That’s why they’ve recommended the health agency not to touch sick or dead birds, or any of their secretions. To this precaution is added as a reminder the washing of hands and the correct cooking of food. They also pointed out that digestive transmission due to the consumption of products of poultry origin has not been described, nor among people.
Source: Clarin
