March saw even more outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at Bolivian commercial layer farms, according to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
Avian flu impacts Bolivia’s layer farms
The city of Sacaba in central Bolivia reported three HPAI outbreaks at commercial layer farms in the past month on March 2, 5 and 20 which resulted in the total death of 47,250 birds – both of HPAI and culling procedures.
Another commercial layer farm was hit by HPAI on March 1 in the Sipe Sipe municipality – a one hour-long drive from Sacaba. Of the 4,750-bird flock, 2,570 died of HPAI and the remaining 2,180 were culled by health officials.
Local HPAI control measures include disinfection as well as surveillance and movement control of the restricted zone around an affected location.
The origin of these outbreaks is still unknown.
Bolivian backyard flocks hit by avian flu
HPAI surveillance was carried out around an infected commercial poultry farm in the municipality of Quillacollo, which discovered three backyard flocks also infected with HPAI.
Reported on March 6, the three backyard flocks had hens, ducks, geese and turkeys – a total of 100 birds died.
Five days before, another backyard poultry flock in Quillacollo reported an HPAI outbreak on March 1, which resulted in the deaths of 44 birds.
Update on avian flu and Guatemala’s brown pelicans
Guatemala reported its first case of HPAI in January of this year involving 11 brown pelicans in Puerto Barrios. According to WOAH, all 11 birds died, and no domestic animals were affected by the outbreak.
