Brazil detects first Newcastle disease case in poultry since 2006

SAO PAULO: Authorities are taking measures to contain an outbreak of Newcastle disease on a poultry farm in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro told a press conference on Thursday.

Favaro estimated around 7,000 birds perished on the small property where the outbreak was detected, representing 50 per cent of the flock there.

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Newcastle is a viral disease that affects domestic and wild birds, causing respiratory problems, among other symptoms, and can lead to death. Its notification is mandatory as per guidelines from the World Organisation for Animal Health.

The last confirmed cases of Newcastle disease in Brazil occurred in 2006 in subsistence birds in the states of Amazonas, Mato Grosso and Rio Grande do Sul, the agriculture ministry said.

Praising the country’s sanitary protocols as one of the best in the world, Favaro said the area where the case was detected has been isolated and there are no other outbreaks in the vicinity.

Brazil is the world’s largest chicken exporter, responding to almost 40 per cent of global supplies.

Countries which buy poultry products from Brazil have been informed of the issue, as detection of Newcastle disease could trigger trade bans, Favaro said.

The most rigorous buyers are China and members of the European Union, he noted. It is unclear if any importer effectively banned products from Brazil or the region where the outbreak occurred.

The ministry of agriculture did not reply to emails seeking clarification.

The government had confirmed late on Wednesday that a sample tested positive for the viral disease, saying it came from a commercial poultry farm in the municipality of Anta Gorda.

According to an industry source, the circumstances of the mass deaths are still under investigation as cold weather may have contributed to the perishing of the animals.

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“The official protocols to mitigate (risks) have been put in place and the surrounding area continues to be monitored,” ABPA, a meat lobby, said in a statement.