H5 Presumptive Positive Broiler Chicken Farm Blue Creek Orange Walk District Belize

[niman]

роultrу fаrm іn Вluе Сrееk, Оrаngе Wаlk dіѕtrісt, tеѕtеd роѕіtіvе fоr thе bіrd flu оn Ѕерtеmbеr 9 аnd thаt furthеr tеѕtіng rеvеаlеd thаt thе іnfluеnzа wаѕ оf thе ѕubtуре Н5, but thе раthоgеnісіtу оf thе ѕubtуре іѕ уеt tо bе dеtеrmіnеd.

https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2022/09/13/avian-influenza-detected-in-blue-creek-orange-walk-poultry-meat-and-eggs-remain-safe-to-consume/

Edited September 14, 2022 by niman

[niman]

map update

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[niman]

Sep 13, 2022

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Detected on Blue Creek Farm

The Belize Agricultural Health Authority has placed a poultry farm in Blue Creek Village under quarantine after detecting the Avian Influenza in its animals. The farm currently houses over twenty-five thousand chickens and is being monitored closely by BAHA officers. Containment measures have been put in place to restrict poultry products exiting the Blue Creek Community. A release from BAHA says that this is being done to ensure that the poultry industry is being protected against further introductions of the disease. Other measures being carried out include the implementation of movement control of live birds, eggs, and litter. We spoke over the phone with Miguel Depaz, the Director of the Animal Health Department at BAHA, late this evening.

 

MIGUEL DEPAZ

On the Phone: Miguel Depaz, Director of Animal Health Department, BAHA

“At this point in time we have identified only one infected farm with Avian Influenza in Blue Creek. The subtype is H5. When we diagnose either H5 or H7 we implement immediate control measures to control and eradicate the disease, given influenza is a viral disease, a very infectious, contagious that could have high mortality. We are not seeing the high mortality. There is some degree of mortality yes, but we must understand that the pathogenic of the virus can be either low or high. But, whether it is low or high it requires immediate action by BAHA to control the disease, because whether low or high it can create negative impact on the industry. We do not want to allow live poultry to move out of the area. We are uncertain what the situation is at the moment, so live poultry have the highest risk of spreading the virus and other products, processed products, less risk, but we still want to put some restrictions. In other words, a bird that goes to the slaughter house has to test negative for Avian Influenza. So, we are putting measures that reduce the risk of spread. With eggs, we have to ensure we test the layers so eggs would not be contaminated. Litter tends to be moved for fertilizing purposes. So, we want to prohibit movement of poultry liter.”

https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/240768

[niman]

map update

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1E2wqF61M_F0pc9zOvoEs075hbeDW_Lot&ll=17.89593840381965%2C-88.89377239774316&z=15

[niman]

 

[niman]

BAHA Warns About Avian Flu, Poultry Association Says Not So Fast

Tue, September 13, 2022

http://www.7newsbelize.com/images/22/7news13.9.22b9.jpgAnd in other news, BAHA has identified a sample of Avian Influenza from a farm in Orange Walk's Blue Creek Community. But before you throw the frozen chicken out of the shopping cart you might be interested to know that according to Poultry Association Manager, Armando Cowo that sample has yet to be confirmed. When we spoke to him this evening he told us that BAHA may be jumping the gun by even announcing the discovery of this unconfirmed sample. Still, the situation has some gravity because the farmers are taking precautions and have already begun to de-populate the farm rather than risk wider exposure. The Poultry Association's Armando Cowo told us more: Armando Cowo, Belize Poultry Association "As far as I know yes, one sample has been tested positive, but that one sample has not been confirmed. What happens sometimes there are positives, but we need confirmation from another lab in the US called National Vet Services lab (NVSL). The NVSL has not confirmed the presence of AI in Belize, so I have no idea why BAHA sent out that release. It requires confirmation from a reference lab and that reference lab has not confirmed the presence of AI in Belize. Yes, we have a suspect case, but that has not been confirmed." http://www.7newsbelize.com/images/22/7news13.9.22b8.jpg"I was there at a meeting where it was discussed that they needed to de-populate and the details of it was not given out in that meeting, so I really don't know the full details of how they are carrying it out. I know we have asked that if the population needs to be carried out, it be done in the best possible manner for the birds, yes. It can infect the whole area, a bigger, wider area than the farm and then we will have to be de-populating more and more birds and the more birds are de-populated, the less there will be to put on the tables of Belizeans. The Avian Flu, I don't know which strain, because only a vet would be able to tell you. I am not a vet. There are a couple strains that do infect humans, but we don't know if that is in Belize and even then, they have jumped from the birds to human in certain countries that have really large populations of birds, but the jump has been very small, like a person working de-populating 28 million birds got infected. That's very small, its negligible. You can't get it through consuming poultry products, because first of all you will cook it and second, if its low pathogenicity, then there is no risk. If its high pathogenicity, there is a little bit risk because that one the virus can be found in the tissues of the bird. There should be no panicking, no nothing. I really don't know what the press release from BAHA was trying to achieve." And in their release tonight BAHA wished to allay the public's fears, saying quote: "BAHA reassures the public that poultry meat and eggs on the local market are safe for human consumption and will continue to implement the right safety protocols to ensure this continued safety." End quote. http://www.7newsbelize.com/printstory.php?func=print&nid=63442