Almost two weeks after the first case of avian influenza in the country was confirmed, the National Agrifood Health and Quality Service (Senasa) reported five new positives for avian influenza (AI) H5 in backyard birds. This way, National infections rise to 19, affecting eight provinces: Córdoba, Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Jujuy, Neuquén, Río Negro, San Luis and Salta.
The agency indicated that the cases were detected in the towns of Cayetano and Tres Lomas (Buenos Aires), Roque Saenz Peña (Córdoba), Choele Choel (Río Negro) and San Luis capital. It is the first positive for both Río Negro and San Luis; while in Córdoba he is the ninth and in Buenos Aires the third.
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According to the Senasa statement, in all cases the virus was detected in backyard birds. “The Senasa National Laboratory diagnosed the positive cases to AI H5 in samples taken from backyard birds (chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys) from establishments located in the towns of San Cayetano and Tres Lomas, Buenos Aires; Roque Saenz Peña, Córdoba ; Choele Choel, Río Negro and San Luis capital,” they reported.
Regarding the national situation, they clarified that “of the notifications received by Senasa, There are 19 confirmed cases in wild and backyard birds to date (9 in Córdoba, 3 in Buenos Aires, 2 in Santa Fe, 1 in Jujuy, 1 in Neuquén, 1 in Río Negro, 1 in San Luis and 1 in Salta)”.
From the confirmation of the cases, agents of the regional centers of Senasa “they carried out the corresponding sanitary actions in the affected properties”. “Senasa is working on sanitary and raking actions in all the regions where the findings were made,” they detailed.
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After the detection of the first positive in Jujuy, on Thursday, February 16 The Ministry of Agriculture of the Nation declared a health emergency through Resolution 147/2023 due to the potential consequences for poultry activity.
In the Resolution of the Secretary of Agriculture of the Nation, it was also clarified that during the migrations of wild birds in the spring and summer seasons towards the southern hemisphere, the H5 subtype of the virus was reported in Mexico, Panama, Honduras, Ecuador, Venezuela, Cuba, Costa Rica, Chile, Bolivia and Uruguay.
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With this panorama, Senasa is coordinating surveillance actions with the National Parks Administration, the national ministries of Environment and Sustainable Development, Health, and Security, and the Directorate of Wildlife. Among other measures, Border controls were activated and surveillance was heightened in birds that are in the surroundings of the sites where those that are migratory settle.
In the province of Black riverSenasa carried out awareness-raising actions and, together with the staff of the Laguna Blanca National Park, continued the search in Villa Puente Picún Leufú, Zapala.
In Córdoba, last Friday, February 24, twelve road controls were carried out throughout the Province. Agents from the Córdoba del Senasa Regional Center, the Provincial Police and other provincial agencies participated in the operation.
Added to this, since the beginning of the emergency rakes are carried out in establishments in which the positive cases were detected and in the surrounding properties. In this sense, samples are taken from birds with symptoms compatible with the disease and suspicions and notifications are dealt with.
“We are very committed to health, surveillance and prevention actions, articulating with the public and private sectors in pursuit of the preservation of the sanitary status and the protection of the commercial sector“, commented the director of the Córdoba Regional Center of Senasa, Gustavo Zabaletta.
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In the case of Jujuy, agents from the Senasa North NOA Regional Center carried out a survey and inspection of the state of the birds in the Popayán Lagoon and in the town of El Ceibal, San Antonio Department. At the moment, no health news was detected in the wild population.
Likewise, together with the team from the Biodiversity Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Jujuy, Surveillance tasks continued in the Laguna de Pozuelasthe area where the first positive case of avian influenza in the country was detected.
In Saltatraining was carried out for agents of the provincial Police on the characteristics of bird flu and the symptoms that birds suspected of suffering from the disease could present.
For his part, in Neuquen, agents from Senasa’s Northern Patagonia Regional Center, along with their counterparts from National Parks and Provincial Fauna, carried out raking tasks in Laguna Blanca, where a case was detected in recent days. The Municipality of Zapala, the Ministries of Health and of Production and Industry of Neuquén and the authorities of the local Hospital also collaborated.
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Added to this, Senasa is carrying out prevention and surveillance measures in areas of the country where the virus was not detected. For example in Between rivers Border controls were strengthened due to an AI case in Uruguay. The same happened with the border crossings with Brazil, Bolivia (where AI cases were also registered) and Paraguay located in the provinces of Chaco, Formosa, currents, Missions, Jujuy y Salta.
Likewise, in currents y MissionsSenasa agreed to strengthen the joint prevention and surveillance work because in neither of the two provinces were positives detected.
“The fundamental objective of these actions is protect the animal health status of our primary source of production and the health of the population”, detailed from the Government in a statement.
MB / ED
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