An H7N3 avian influenza outbreak was confirmed on January 8 in the Mexican state government of Aguascalientes, located in the western part of Mexico and close to the area of a previous outbreak in Jalisco, according to Mexico's Reforma newspaper. The news agency reported that the the National Health, Food Safety and Quality Service, Senasica, "confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza in two farms, and the closing of these foci of infection, after the sacrifice of 284,755 birds."
The matter remained in total secrecy until the evening of January 8, according to the newspaper, but it was the poultry producer who notified authorities. The two affected egg-producing farms are located in the municipality of San Francisco de los Romo, upstate Aguascalientes.
The state government says the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza is controlled. To do this, authorities "proceeded to the depopulation of the two layer farms where the outbreak was located, after which Senasica stated the closing of the foci of infection that caused the disease." A total of 6 million vaccines will be applied in the area, which houses seven farms, two of laying hens and five of broilers, plus another 13 that are in the perifocal area.
Senasica said the outbreak emerged this past January 3 and yesterday confirmed that it is the H7N3 A virus, with 99 percent similar genetics to the one that hit the Los Altos area de Jalisco in June 2012.
Aguascalientes contributes to less than 1 percent of Mexico's egg production, but 10 percent of its broiler production.
