High-security lab technicians at the National Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality Service of Mexico, Senasica, confirmed the presence of H7 avian influenza virus in seven Bachoco farms located in two municipalities, Dolores Hidalgo and San Luis de la Paz, in the state of Guanajuato, which are kept under restraint by the health authority. The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food, Sagarpa, ordered the activation of the emergency operation and since February 14, staff was sent to take samples that were sent to the official laboratories of Senasica.
Technical personnel has already been sent to take samples for the official laboratories which confirmed the presence of the virus by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Preliminary data show that the population exposed to the virus stands at 582,000 birds. According to diagnoses, the number of birds susceptible for slaughtering to eradicate the outbreak will be determined. Sagarpa delivered to representatives of the company 1,911,000 vaccine doses for preventive application in breeders and layers, located in surrounding farms, and thus establishing a buffer area to mitigate the damage and isolate the source of infection.
Supervision work at checkpoints has also been strengthened to prevent the mobilization of live birds, their products and byproducts without official control. In about 48 hours, the result of the virus sequencing will be obtained to determine if it is the same that hit the states of Jalisco and Aguascalientes. As a "H7," it corresponds to the same strain, so the World Animal Health Organization, OIE, will be notified.
Of the 137 million hens in the country, 2.8 million are located in Guanajuato, or 2.35 percent of the total.
Meanwhile, poultry farmers of the Los Altos de Jalisco region indicated they will be revaccinating their flocks. It will be necessary to immunize local birds again with 60 million doses.
