The risks of bird flu

Bolivia has activated the animal health emergency system after detecting four outbreaks of bird flu in the department of Cochabamba. So far, the affected municipalities are: Sacaba, Quillacollo, Cliza and Tiquipaya.
According to the official Senasag report, the contagion is due to the contact of traditional or family-reared birds with migratory birds, due to few controls and protection measures.

The damage suffered by poultry producers is evident. Tens of thousands of birds have been culled, implying an unavoidable economic loss that should be remedied in some way.

Fortunately, public and private sector actors have reacted in time and the necessary searches have been activated to avoid new contingencies that, however, could arise at any time.
It has also been clarified that contagion to people is very unlikely and that if it occurs it does not represent a risk to life or spread of the virus, so unnecessary alarms should not be generated. Likewise, it has been clarified that there is no transmission of the disease through the consumption of chicken or eggs.

In general terms, it could be said that the situation is under control; However, it is pertinent to raise some concerns: firstly, in a November 2022 report, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that Europe is suffering the worst outbreak of this highly pathogenic virus since 2011, and in America Outbreaks have been detected in Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, the United States of America, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. Consequently, it is reasonable to suggest that Bolivia must remain vigilant and use all its technical and human resources to act on time in the face of possible new outbreaks.

Secondly, it is essential to carry out an adequate campaign to guide citizens to combat false and viral news that spread through social networks, mainly related to non-existent risks of contagion due to the consumption of food or the appearance of outbreaks and strange consequences. And that campaign goes far beyond a couple of statements or press releases.

Thirdly, chicken meat and eggs are staple foods and highly consumed in Bolivian homes. In this context, adequate coordination between producers, distributors and marketers is necessary to avoid any speculation that affects the economy.
In summary, this threat that causes concern in the region, in Europe and in the WHO cannot be minimized. As we all know, the Bolivian economy is very sensitive to stimuli such as scarcity and uncertainty caused by health and/or supply problems, and those scenarios are suffered more by the low-income population.

As mentioned above, the initial response to this problem was positive coordination between the public and private sectors, and that should be, in all cases, the best response to all emergencies. Hopefully, when the time comes, this problem will not be politicized and prejudices, regional rancor and political miseries will be imposed. We are facing a real threat. Ignoring or minimizing the risk would be irresponsible and foolish.