Mexico has reported its initial outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu on a poultry farm, just a month after declaring itself free of the disease for the season, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The outbreak occurred in the northwestern state of Sonora, resulting in the death of 15,000 laying hens out of a flock of 90,000, with the remaining birds culled, as confirmed by Mexican authorities.
In a statement, WOAH mentioned that the subtype of the virus identified is H5N1, emphasizing that it does not pose a threat to humans through meat or egg consumption. The Ministry of Agriculture in Mexico has imposed a quarantine to prevent further spread, and another farm, located three kilometers away, is currently undergoing disinfection after detecting the disease in a flock of 54,000 birds.
Despite being a major chicken meat producer globally, with a ranking in the top 10, Mexico exports less than 1% of its chicken meat, according to the U.S. agency GAIN. Nonetheless, the emergence of the highly contagious virus is causing concern within the government and the poultry industry, given its history of disrupting supply chains, impacting food prices, and posing a risk of human transmission.
Notably, Russia, South Africa, and parts of Eastern Europe have reported concentrated outbreaks of the virus in recent months. Mexico had previously confirmed the first case of H5N1 avian influenza in a wild bird just last month, following a nationwide bird vaccination campaign launched in high-risk areas, including Sonora.
The Ministry of Agriculture, in a recent statement, mentioned ongoing tests to determine the effectiveness of last year’s vaccine against the current virus. If necessary, a new vaccination strategy could be implemented in the coming days. Mexico’s animal safety agency, Senascia, has urged local farmers to enhance biosecurity measures and promptly report any anomalies observed in their animals to safeguard national poultry production.
