The Mexican Ministry of Agriculture has reported that about 2.5 million birds have been culled at poultry farms in the state of Jalisco to contain a recent outbreak of the H7N3 avian influenza virus. The outbreak was first detected on June 20 in Jalisco state in western Mexico and the Mexican government declared a national animal health emergency on July 2.
Out of the 148 poultry farms in Jalisco visited by Mexican officials, about 31 had traces of bird flu and 34 were negative. The results for the remaining 83 farms were still pending. The affected farms, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, are in quarantine “in hopes that no contaminated poultry meat are transmitted to other states.” The 34 safe poultry farms are being heavily monitored by the officials to assure that they are not exposed to the bird flu.
Mexico has imported about 1 million vaccines from Pakistan, and Mexican officials said they have developed a seed-based vaccine that will be delivered to four laboratories to produce over 80 million doses initially in late July.
