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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 5th 2025 - 04:34 UTC

Tag: Avian flu

  • Thursday, January 18th 2024 - 10:15 UTC

    HMS Forth helps to understand extent of avian flu in South Georgia

    A seal keeps watch on HMS Forth at Grytviken

    Crew of Royal Navy Falklands patrol ship HMS Forth helped scientists understand the global impact of bird flu as the ship resumed South Atlantic duties after nearly a year away. The ship transported an expert to the island chain of South Georgia to see if the disease had reached the sub-Antarctic for the first time.

  • Friday, November 3rd 2023 - 22:58 UTC

    Confirmed avian flu case in the Falklands; Stanley becomes control zone until November 23

    Members of the public are advised to follow strict bio-security measures and use the footbaths at common sites where they are provided.

    On Monday 30 October 2023 a Southern Fulmar was found dead at a Stanley property. As per current policy, while one dead bird does not reach the threshold of suspicion for avian influenza, birds that are not usually found in the Falkland Islands are routinely swabbed for surveillance. Unfortunately, this bird tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. Given that this is an isolated case of one bird, that is only common off-shore, a full protection zone will not be declared. However, a temporary control zone has been declared and is attached. A declaration issued by the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) says:

  • Tuesday, October 31st 2023 - 10:55 UTC

    Avian flu keeps killing seashore mammals along South Atlantic shores

    A sea lion, presumably killed by avian flu, lies on the beach at Cabo Polonio, Uruguay. Photo: Sebastián Astorga

    Health authorities in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina are increasingly concerned over the appearance of hundreds of dead sea lions presumably killed by avian flu, it was reported.

  • Tuesday, October 24th 2023 - 08:55 UTC

    BAS reports first confirmed cases of Avian Influenza in South Georgia; Biosecurity Handbook must be handy

    Brown skua (Catharacta antarctica) on Bird Island, South Georgia (Richard Phillips)

    The highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in brown skua populations on Bird Island, South Georgia – the first known cases in the Antarctic region, reported British Antarctic Survey, BAS.

  • Tuesday, October 3rd 2023 - 20:20 UTC

    Avian flu, France planning to vaccinate some 60 million ducks

    In Europe's only mass-vaccination campaign against avian influenza, the two-jab course is obligatory for ducklings, from as young as 10 days old

    Some 60 million ducks are to be vaccinated in France over the next year as the country embarks on a campaign to combat bird flu and put an end to mass culls, which cost the poultry industry millions every year.

  • Monday, July 31st 2023 - 10:44 UTC

    Avian flu: Contingency protocols activated in Ecuador

    Special teams have been placed under round-the-clock alert while a vaccination plan against the disease was extended

    Ecuadorian authorities have actuated contingency protocols after a new outbreak of avian influenza was confirmed in a commercial farm in the Andean province of Cotopaxi, the Agency for Regulation and Control of Animal and Plant Health (Agrocalidad) announced Sunday in Quito.

  • Wednesday, June 28th 2023 - 09:53 UTC

    Brazil reports first case of avian flu in farm bird

    Brazilian authorities insisted commercial production of chickens remains safe

    Brazilian authorities Tuesday confirmed the detection of the first case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI - H5N1) in a poultry bird in the municipality of Serra, in the State of Espírito Santo, but insisted commercial production remains safe. The South American country is the world's largest chicken exporter, with US$ 9.762 billion collected in 2022.

  • Wednesday, June 14th 2023 - 10:22 UTC

    What is killing the animals at Chile's Humboldt Reserve?

    Beyond bird flu, it is yet unknown whether the animals die of the El Niño current, climate change, or toxins in the sea

    Due to avian flu, what used to be a vacation spot in northern Chile full of tourists sighting the marine fauna has become the ground where sanitary brigades look for dead birds likely killed by the deadly virus following the closure of the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve, in the Coquimbo region.

  • Wednesday, May 3rd 2023 - 10:30 UTC

    Uruguay starts vaccinating poultry against avian flu

    The situation “is still in the area of wildlife and backyard poultry, it has not entered into any production system,” Mattos said

    Uruguayan authorities began vaccinating poultry against avian flu with immunizers from the United States, it was reported Tuesday in Montevideo. An additional batch of chemicals is due from Mexico shortly.

  • Wednesday, March 1st 2023 - 10:25 UTC

    Argentina halts poultry exports after case of avian flu confirmed

    Bahillo insisted the disease is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs so exporters would be able to sell their products locally

    Argentine authorities Tuesday suspended poultry exports after the first case of avian flu was confirmed in the province of Río Negro. The South American country's poultry exports last year amounted to US$ 383 million, with China buying 75% of them. With 2.5 million tons of poultry meat produced annually, 10% are sold abroad.