…Authorities Put Containment Measures in Place
The virus primarily affects poultry and according to BAHA, there is a low risk for transmission from poultry to humans; there is also no evidence of human to human transmission. Nevertheless, the agencies have since been on the ground putting in place containment measures prohibiting all poultry products from the affected farms to leave the Spanish Lookout area. Several checkpoints have also been installed and according to Chief Veterinary Officer at BAHA, Doctor Miguel Depaz; the poultry industry has been cooperating with enforcement.
Dr. Miguel Depaz, Chief Veterinary Officer, BAHA
“We have immediately implemented control measures and the first measure that we implemented was the precautionary quarantine at the two infected farms and we even are protecting a wider zone by putting three checkpoints at strategic locations which is controlling or restricting the movement of poultry and poultry products. We are even disinfecting trucks that we consider high risk. So we do have a control to contain this infection in those two farms. At this time we have not detected it in any other farm despite massive sampling. That’s a high risk. A live bird is a high risk so that is a no, no. you cannot take out a live bird from Spanish Lookout. Nevertheless, there is the one day old chick which can be authorized to leave under a permit from BAHA because a one day old chick is very unlikely to be infected. There is no vertical transmission of the virus from the breeding flock to the progeny. We are issuing an order at this time…taking out an order at this time. We have the law in place and moreover we are governed by the BAHA Act in which we have authority over all establishments and we do have some quarantine laws which gives us the authority to take measures that are necessary.”
Jose Alpuche, C.E.O., Ministry of Agriculture
“At the moment, the goods that are restricted from movement are being confiscated, under which BAHA has full legal authority to do it. but let me also be quick to add that we’ve had excellent cooperation from the leadership in Spanish Lookout as it relates to this.”
Approximately twelve thousand birds have been affected; this translates to approximately five to six hundred thousand dollars. There has been no bird mortality since. In March of 2004, Mexico detected the same strain of the avian influenza. Six months after, the virus converted from a low pathogenic to a highly pathogenic virus.