Mexico Records First H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak in Yucatan in Over Two Years
Mexico officials report the first H5N1 bird flu outbreak at a Yucatan farm, leading to the culling of over 225,000 hens.
POLICY WIRE — Mérida, Mexico — Mexico has identified a case of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus at a facility located in the Yucatan Peninsula. This detection marks the country’s first instance of the virus appearing in poultry for more than two years.
The World Organisation for Animal Health, commonly known as WOAH, disclosed the findings in a report published Friday. Utilizing data from local government officials, the virus was identified at a commercial egg production site in Umán, situated situated just southwest of the city of Mérida.
In response to the infection, federal agricultural authorities mandated the total destruction of the birds at the location. The affected farm housed 225,860 laying hens at the time of the outbreak.
According to the Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural, this specific flock represents approximately 0.09% of the total poultry population found across Mexico.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
