During yesterday Wednesday, the Government confirmed the first case of a Chilean bird infected with avian influenza of the H5N1 type in Arica. The variant is highly contagious and threatens poultry production in the country. However, from the Ministry of Agriculture and the SAG they assured that they are prepared for this emergency, due to the prevention work that they are already working on.
The Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) confirmed the presence of a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a wild bird found in Arica. This corresponds to the variant H5N1which has already been detected in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela.
Due to the above, collaborations were strengthened with other State agencies and the private sector to strengthen biosafety measures.
He was the Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuelatogether with the national director(s) of the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), Andrea Collaowho confirmed that, given the presence of the disease in the continent, in Chile the SAG had already been working to mitigate possible negative effects on the productive matrix of the poultry industry, which up to the minute is not affected by this finding.
“We want to inform you that today the Agricultural and Livestock Service, deployed on alert throughout the entire time to determine if avian influenza has arrived in Chile, has definitively detected that it arrived in a wild bird that was discovered in poor condition in the region. of Arica and Parinacota”said the Secretary of State, according to the SAG official site.
Increase in cases in the world
This, as Valenzuela explained, is part of a global process. “In North America, Europe and the countries of the Latin American coast as a result of the migrations of wild birds, an increase in cases of avian influenza has been detected from the north and south, as we have verified in the Arica region and Parinacota,” he said.
He added that “we have worked with the poultry and egg industry, with the Ministry of the Interior, with the Ministry of Health and various public departments to provide maximum vigilance and support in this situation.”
The Agricultural and Livestock Service is working with all the actors in the poultry production chain to increase biosecurity measures, in a public-private partnership. “We are prepared, rest assured. This does not affect the consumption of poultry or their export. The same goes for egg production in our country. We ask each of the places audited by the SAG for joint responsibility and cooperation in this process.”Valenzuela said.
Finally, the representative of the portfolio made a call to the public that “in the face of any observation of sick birds, they must communicate it to the available channels of the SAG. We ask you not to handle sick or dead birds in any case.”
The contact channels to make these complaints are the following: 2 2345 1100 / +56 9 690 89 780 or write to oficina.informaciones@sag.gob.cl.