The Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) confirmed the first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza of the H5N1 variant in Tunquén, Valparaíso Region.
It is the first case in the central zone of the country, since they had previously been discovered in the regions of Arica and Parinacota, Tarapacá and Antofagasta.
The agency reported that “the virus continues to move to the south of the country in wild birds, without affecting backyard or industrial birds yet.”
The SAG specified in a release that: “a coordination meeting was held headed by the Undersecretary of Agriculture, José Guajardo; the presidential delegate of Valparaíso, Sofía González; and the head(s) of the Subdirectorate of Operations of the SAG, Grisel Monje; and where they participated also the provincial presidential delegates and representatives of the Seremis de Salud, Onemi, Armada and Sernapesca”.
“Faced with this new positive case, the SAG increases its alert level considering that the disease has already entered a region with more intensive poultry production, for which reason it is reinforcing surveillance work, especially in poultry and industry. In addition to call on bird owners and farms to maximize biosecurity measures by avoiding contact of their birds with wild birds,” the entity added.
Citizen complaints
Due to the high demand for citizen complaints of dead or sick birds throughout the country, the SAG called on people “not to touch or move them, to avoid the spread of the disease and wait for the complaint to be dealt with.” by specialized personnel.
“It should be noted that the Service’s technicians review case by case to discriminate whether the death corresponds to a presumed death from avian influenza or is due to another cause, for this reason the information that people provide is of great relevance,” the agency said.
Likewise, he pointed out that “there is an unnamed poultry insurance in the private sector that covers the affectation of birds killed by avian influenza for poultry farmers with mortality of up to 1,000 birds. It should be noted that the insurance is activated with a Slaughter Resolution issued by the SAG Therefore, timely reporting is essential.
Finally, the SAG called on the public to report the presence of dead or sick birds to:
- Emails: [email protected] / [email protected]
- From Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., call the Service Call Center: 2 2345 1100
- WhatsApp number +56 9 690 89 780 or +569 90449801, which works outside office hours, as well as Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Due to this new case, the alert level was increased, reinforcing surveillance work, especially in poultry and industry.
