Avian Flu Diary: Mexico Declares National H7N3 Animal Health Emergency

# 6417

Mexico’s Agricultural Ministry (Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación; SAGARPA) today announced a national animal health emergency as the H7N3 outbreak that made headlines last week (see Mexico: High Path H7 In Jalisco) has reportedly now affected more than 1.7 million birds.

ChannelNewsAsia has an AFP report Mexico declares bird flu emergency, but a short version of the announcement can be found on the SENASICA (National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality) website:

Avian Influenza

Avian Influenza type A, subtype H7N3 does not affect humans, only birds, according to Organization Animal Health (OIE).

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Press release

Was published today in the Official Journal of the Federation agreement that activates, integrates and operates the National Emergency Animal Health, pursuant to Article 78 of the Federal Animal Health Law, to diagnose, prevent , control and eradicate avian influenza virus type A, subtype H7N3, actions taken since last week in coordination with the farming.

While H7N3 is not considered to represent a high human health risk, the statement that it does not affect humans is not strictly true. As I wrote last week, there have been a handful of (generally mild) human infections detected with this subtype of avian flu.

The following is a machine translation of a more detailed press release (including information on the quarantine, slaughter, vaccination, and the destruction of infected poultry), which is available from the SARGAPA website.

SENASICA published in the Official Gazette of the National Emergency Animal Health

Mexico City, July 2, 2012

Was published today in the Official Journal of the Federation agreement that activates, integrates and operates the National Emergency Animal Health, pursuant to Article 78 of the Federal Animal Health Law, to diagnose, prevent, control and eradicate avian influenza virus type A, subtype H7N3, actions taken since last week in coordination with the farming.

The agreement is issued under the June 20, 2012 the National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) confirmed the presence of a virus highly pathogenic avian influenza exotic for Mexico in two municipalities of Jalisco and considers that requires immediate attention for its control and eventual eradication, to prevent severe damage to the poultry industry.

The coordination of the National Emergency Animal Health will be in charge of SENASICA through the Directorate General of Animal Health (DGSA), which will be supported by the Mexico - United States for the Prevention of FMD and other diseases Exotic Animals (CPA).

Although the virus is focused on municipalities and Acatic Tepatitlan, Jalisco, the operation will be activated throughout the country, in order to prevent the spread of the disease, for which the country is divided into eight regions emergency .

The eight regions will be regulated and directed by SENASICA through the DGSA, with the support of the CPA and actions will be executed in each region under the supervision of the Coordinators responsible for compliance to the Agreement will have the Groups State Animal Health Emergency (GEESA), led by the coordinators of the CPA.

The agreement also establishes the animal health measures and coordinated urgent application to the diagnosis, prevention, control and eradication of Avian Influenza virus type A subtype among which are: animal health education on avian influenza to poultry and people and legal entities related to the poultry industry.

Under the transmission of the virus highly pathogenic avian influenza in birds occurs by direct or indirect animal products and byproducts from infected birds exposed and sets the control of the movement of poultry and their products and products as well as other animal species regulated by the Animal Health Act and provisions thereunder, which may represent a risk to poultry.

They also provide animal health and ordering cords retention and disposition of poultry products and byproducts, as well as biological, chemical, pharmaceutical and food for use or consumption by these birds that could cause an outbreak of Avian Influenza.

As animal health measures include diagnostic work and identification of avian influenza virus, quarantine and isolation for affected farms and the work you reinforce surveillance and epidemiological research.

To avoid transmission of avian influenza virus type A subtype H7N3 is ordered sanitation practices, disinfection, disinfestation, sterilization, using germicides and pesticides in animals, premises and transport.

SENASICA further instructs the culling sick or exposed to avian influenza and disposal of poultry products and byproducts in the manner specified in the body.

Similarly, immunization will be permitted upon express authorization of SENASICA, to protect and prevent the spread of the disease.

SENASICA establish mechanisms of coordination with other agencies of the Federal Government, the Governments of the States, the National Technical Advisory Council for Animal Health, the National Union of Poultry Farmers, as well as poultry producers and individuals linked to activities related to poultry, which are required to provide the SENASICA all the support and technical and administrative cooperation, as well as the epidemiological data and production is required to diagnose, prevent, control and eradicate avian influenza virus type A subtype H7N3 of the country.

Finally, the agreement indicates that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food, through the National Health Service, Food Safety and Food Quality, assess the health status of the areas recognized as being of low prevalence, in control, and eradication or free of notifiable avian influence, in order to determine the measures necessary for the proper implementation of the Agreement.