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Mexico on Tuesday declared a state of emergency after an outbreak of bird flu killed more than 200,000 chickens and other poultry since it was reported last month, and 600,000 more sick birds have been destroyed.
The H7N3 flu was found in two areas in the western state of Jalisco, according to Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture. The ministry, which is known as Sagarpa, said, “These farms have been quarantined and isolated,” and the situation was declared a national animal health emergency on Monday.
In all, 1.7 million birds have been infected with the virus, the ministry stated. The outbreak was first reported on June 20.
Authorities said they are working quickly to try to contain the avian flu outbreak, adding that it does not pose any risks to humans. It said that “eradication measures” have been implemented to protect poultry and egg production in Jalisco.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization confirmed that there is an outbreak of avian flu. It added that the H7N3 is “very aggressive” in poultry.
Mexican officials examined nearly 150 farms in Jalisco, which is considered one of the main agriculture states in the country, and said the virus was discovered in 10.
Health officials are especially wary in Mexico after the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, broke out in 2009.
The last outbreak of highly pathogenic avian flu in Mexico, the H5N2 subtype, took place in 1994 and since then, the specific disease has been tightly controlled, according to U.N. figures.
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