Uruguay's Public Health Ministry (MSP) issued Sunday a series of recommendations to keep avian influenza from spreading to humans.
A new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in wild birds in Montenegro, in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul, specifically affecting the species joão-de-barro (Furnarius rufus) was confirmed Wednesday, while a suspected case in a commercial poultry slaughterhouse in Tocantins was ruled out.
Brazil's Agriculture Minister, Carlos Fávaro, announced Tuesday during a public hearing at the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Agrarian Reform that the bird flu outbreak in Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul, has been successfully contained. The country's health system quickly implemented measures, including inspections of 540 nearby rural establishments and setting up sanitary barriers.
Brazilian Meteorological researchers Metsul have issued a black rain warning for the southern part of the region's largest country, which could also be affecting northern Uruguay Thursday -Cerro Largo, Rivera, and parts of Rocha- given a cold front clashing with a smoke plume from the large number of fires in the region, it was explained.
Brazilian authorities halted all shipments of poultry meat to China, Europe, and Argentina on Friday after a case of Newcastle disease was detected in the municipality of Anta Gorda in the State of Rio Grande do Sul.
Brazil's Environment Minister Marina Silva said Tuesday that at least 96% of the fires in the Pantanal, Pantanal, a natural region encompassing the world's largest tropical wetland area and the world's largest flooded grasslands, had been put out or were under control, Agencia Brasil reported. She made the announcement alongside fellow Ministers Simone Tebet (Budget and Planning) and Waldez Góes (Integration and Regional Development) in Corumbá, in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul.
According to an updated report on the floods in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul released Tuesday, 177 people had perished while 37 others were still unaccounted for. Agencia Brasil also said some 10,000 people were still in shelters as Civil Defense authorities issued a new heavy rain alert after at least 19 municipalities were damaged by new floods this past weekend.
The Brazilian administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Tuesday canceled a tender whereby some 263,000 tons of rice were to be purchased abroad to make up for the crops lost in the flooded State of Rio Grande do Sul. The decision was made after signs of irregularities were detected in the bidding companies. Rio Grande do Sul accounts for 70% of Brazil's rice production.
Brazilian farmers and government have clashed over the recent authorization to import rice, given the extraordinary floods and consequences suffered by the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the main producer the cereal. As a result of the situation the Brazilian Agriculture and Livestock Confederation (CNA) has filed a lawsuit against the federal government’s decision to authorize rice imports.
Health authorities in the Brazilian flood-hit State of Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul confirmed Monday that an eighth patient had died of leptospirosis, Agencia Brasil reported. The victim was a 31-year-old man from São Leopoldo who had prolonged exposure to contaminated water.