[Animals] "Keep moving south": Confirm case of avian influenza in Ñuble

[[Ty]M@g0k1l3r]

The virus was detected in a pelican on a Trehuaco beach.

It is already present in a good part of Chile, up to the Arica and Parinacota Region in the north, "but no cases have been registered in domestic birds or in poultry farms," the SAG highlighted.

The Agricultural and Livestock Service confirmed the presence of "highly pathogenic avian influenza of the H5N1 variant" in a pelican found on the beach in the Boca de Itata sector, in the Trehuaco commune, Ñuble Region.

As explained by the agency, "this finding confirms that the virus continues to move to the south of the country in wild birds, but it has not affected backyard birds or the national poultry industry," as far as is known.

Given the news, the regional presidential delegate, Gabriel Pradenas, convened an intersectoral technical table that brings together -in addition to the GORE and the SAG-, the provincial delegate of Itata, the agriculture, health, environment and government departments; Conaf, Senapred, Sernapesca, Sernatur, the municipalities of Cobquecura, Trehuaco and Coelemu; Police, the Navy and the PDI.

In order to "prevent avian influenza from affecting small producers of domestic birds", Pradenas called on them to "allow SAG officials to enter the places where these birds are found, so that they can evaluate and deliver recommendations so they can protect themselves from this virus."

 

 

WITHOUT CURE

"We call on the community to be calm; the State agencies are working together to prevent the spread of this virus that, in Chile, has affected only wild birds," said the deputy regional director of the SAG, Gloria Cuevas.

"The most important thing is that everyone be alert if they find dead or sick birds: do not touch them, do not move them and immediately call the SAG, which has set up various communication channels to receive complaints from the public," Cuevas added. .

Faced with this new positive case, the SAG announced that it will reinforce "even more the surveillance that it has been carrying out since December in coastal areas and in wetlands, given that the domestic raising of poultry such as chickens, geese and ducks , is concentrated in the surroundings of these sites. In the same way, it has already communicated with the industrial establishments so that they intensify their biosecurity measures in order to avoid contagion".

Avian influenza is a contagious viral disease that affects wild and domestic birds and has no cure or treatment. In Chile, since December 2022, it has been presenting in migratory wild birds from the regions of Arica and Parinacota to Ñuble, but no cases have been recorded in domestic birds or poultry farms.

 

https://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/pais/salud/alertas-sanitarias/sigue-desplazandose-al-sur-confirman-caso-de-influenza-aviar-en-nuble/2023-01-30/214203.html