La Libertad’s 6 million laying hens at risk from bird flu

The alarm has sounded Peruvian poultry industryParticularly in the La Libertad region, where nearly 30,000 backyard bird deaths have been recorded in the first 63 days of 2024 due to three bird flu outbreaks.The latest of which was on March 1 Cheben CityThe importance of chicken and eggs in Peruvian diets has heightened concerns about the impact the pandemic could have on the country’s food security.

According to information provided to the Andina agency by Alfonso Medrano, president of the La Libertad Chamber of Commerce and representative of the Northern Poultry Company, including Pacasmayo and Paiján in Several provinces within the country have reported losses, underscoring the spread of the virus.

The situation is critical because the area accounts for 25% National poultry production

, lays 6 million laying hens and produces 17.5 million chicks per month. “If there is an outbreak of bird flu, everything will be destroyed…” Medrano stressed the seriousness of the problem.

this Irresponsible practices exacerbate the spread of the virus, such as the owner of a farm in Santa Maria where a second outbreak was detected, selling potentially infected birds at a local market. “Clearly the owner’s decision to sell his birds for meat is an act of desperation and irresponsibility,” Medrano said, stressing the increased risk of the spread of the virus in the area.

One of the biggest frustrations Medrano expressed was National Agricultural Health Service of Peru (senassa) Facing a crisis. Despite private sector efforts to develop a vaccination program that would not mean the state bears the cost, a lack of action and authorization to use the vaccine has hampered preventive measures.

The impact of these outbreaks is not limited to economic and commercial losses, but also points to serious food security issues in a country that relies on chicken and eggs as its main source of protein.

Chickens, hens, fighting cocks and ducks are all at risk, he added. main vector of diseaseand other bird species, an outbreak on a formal farm could mean millions of dollars in losses. It is understood that the damage to the Santa Maria farm in Chipón exceeded 1,200,000 soles.

this World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed bird flu virus H5 and H7 subtypes of this type A is the causative agent of severe disease in birds with the ability to spread rapidly and cause high mortality in multiple species. This finding highlights the need to maintain strict biosecurity and hygiene measures when in contact with these species, especially in areas where the virus has been confirmed.

These recommendations are based on the virus’s ability to infect humans under certain circumstances, such as direct or indirect contact with infected birds or exposure to environments contaminated by their excreta. Handling of birds, such as plucking and handling dead animals, as well as cooking preparations at home, are practices that increase the risk of infection. Symptoms in humans depend on the strain of the virus, but typically include cough, high fever, headache, general malaise and muscle aches.