Given new cases of avian influenza (AI) that occurred in recent days in the country, this Tuesday there will be a meeting in the Government to analyze preventive actions against the disease and take new measures to strengthen controls.
From Wednesday to today,
5 cases were known
and a health emergency was decreed.
In the meeting, which will be closed, will be the Minister of Economy,
Sergio Massa,
the Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Nation,
Juan José Bahillo,
the president and vice president of Senasa,
Diana Guillen
and
Rodolfo Acerbi
, respectively.
On February 14, the first was recorded in the Laguna de los Pozuelos, Jujuy, of a wild bird.
Three days later, on the 17th of this month, the second case occurred in Laguna de las Mojarras, Cordoba, also in a wild bird.
On Saturday the third case was also registered in the Cordoba province, but this time in Alejo Ledesma, with a backyard bird.
That 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.
So far,
in Argentina there have been no known positive cases in commercial birds
(in meat and egg production), unlike what happened in Bolivia and Peru.
Meanwhile, cases of wild or backyard birds were known in Uruguay and Chile;
and suspected cases, without confirming positive, in Paraguay and Brazil.
Being able to control that the disease does not enter the commercial circuit is key for the
country to preserve the sanitary status of Argentina
.
Therefore, from Senasa they asked for extreme biosecurity measures on farms so that it does not affect exports from this sector.
There are
more than 1,000 poultry farms
that produce eggs in 18 provinces. In 2022, 15,291 million eggs were produced in Argentina, 8.46% more than in 2021, with a layer park 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 different variants.
In the case of poultry meat, 2.5 million tons are produced annually and
10% is exported
, mainly to China (41%).
In 2022, the sector shipped 254,000 tons of this product, 7% more than in 2021, and foreign currency was generated for US$ 470 million, an increase of 24%.
The probability of
transmission of avian influenza to humans is very low
, and if it occurs, it occurs through the respiratory tract, through the mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth).
That is why they recommended from the health agency not to touch sick or dead birds, or any of their secretions.
To this precaution, hand washing and correct cooking of food is added as a reminder.
They also stressed that the digestive transmission due to the consumption of products of poultry origin has not been described, nor between people.
look too
Due to the chicken flu, Argentine firms rub their hands
Avian Flu: they make the health emergency official and rule out problems to export
