Brazil, recognized as one of the globe’s leading producers and exporters of poultry, has reported its inaugural bird flu outbreak at a commercial farm.
The highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza, H5N1, was identified at a facility located in Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul, as confirmed by Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA).
In response, the ministry has initiated containment measures. These actions aim to eliminate the outbreak, protect Brazil’s poultry sector productivity, and assure a continuous supply of safe, high-quality food to the population. MAPA conveyed this commitment in a statement released on Friday (16 May).
Poultry export restrictions are determined by international health certificate protocols. Notably, while some of Brazil’s trade agreements impose countrywide restrictions, others accommodate regionalized responses corresponding to the outbreak’s location.
As a result, China and the EU have suspended poultry imports from Brazil. However, nations such as Japan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the Philippines have embraced a regional approach, permitting imports from unaffected areas, according to MAPA.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognizes Brazil as the world’s second-largest chicken meat producer, following the US, and as its largest exporter.
Furthermore, MAPA emphasizes that avian influenza is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs. “The risk of human infection is low and is generally associated with direct, prolonged contact with infected birds, whether alive or dead,” stated the Brazilian ministry.
