AFTER KILLING THOUSANDS OF BIRDS
Reuters File
Mexican authorities said they have 12 farms Bachoco poultry company in which detected H7N3 avian influenza virus, "highly pathogenic", equal to that last year forced to sacrifice 22 million egg-producing hens.
"We have located five more affected farms, which have 12 production units with the virus," said the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) in a press release on Sunday.
Last Friday the poultry farmer had reported Bachoco would total 486,000 slaughtered birds from five farms Mexican state Guanajuato (center).
The Sagarpa noted that ten of the affected farms are from hens that lay eggs for broiler production and two poultry producing eggs for human consumption.
The National Health Service confirmed that it is "an Avian Influenza AH7N3 virus highly pathogenic", equal to what was presented last year in the states of Jalisco (West) and Aguascalientes (north) and forced to sacrifice 22 million egg producing hens.
Agriculture Secretary "made the notification regarding the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)," the statement added.
The document noted that the population of the virus farms totaling nearly one million birds, yet studies the number of chickens that could be sacrificed.
Bird flu is an infectious viral disease that affects birds, but has enough potential to infect humans, pigs and domestic cat.
