Animal health emergency in force for six months due to avian flu in Brazil

Brazil has declared a state of animal health emergency for 180 days in response to the country’s first detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in wild birds, in a document signed by Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro. Infection by the H5N1 subtype of avian flu in wild birds does not trigger trade restrictions, based on guidelines from the World Organization for Animal Health. However, cases of bird flu on a farm usually kill the entire flock and trigger trade sanctions from importing countries.

Brazil, the world’s biggest chicken meat exporter with $9.7 billion in sales last year, has so far confirmed eight cases of H5N1 in wild birds, including seven in Espirito Santo state and one in Rio de Janeiro state. The country’s agriculture ministry said later on Monday that it had created an emergency operations center to coordinate, plan and evaluate “national actions related to avian influenza”. Although Brazil’s main meat-producing states are in the south, the government is on alert after confirmed cases, as after avian flu in wild birds has caused transmission to commercial flocks in some countries.

Shares in Brazil-based BRF SA, the world’s biggest chicken exporter, were up 3.6% before the government announcement and ended the day 0.5% lower. Over the weekend, the health ministry said samples from 33 suspected cases of avian influenza in humans in Espirito Santo, where Brazil confirmed the first cases in wild birds last week, came back negative for the H5N1 subtype.