China suspends purchases of chicken from Brazil for 60 days

China has suspended imports of chicken meat from Brazil for 60 days after the first case of highly pathogenic avian flu was confirmed on a Brazilian commercial farm, according to the Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro. The outbreak was recorded in the municipality of Montenegro, in the Metropolitan Region of Rio Grande do Sul. The measure follows a health protocol previously agreed upon between the two countries, and is automatically triggered after the disease is detected in a commercial flock. Although the virus poses a very low risk to humans, especially when consuming meat and eggs, the decision directly affects Brazilian exports. Other countries may also adopt similar restrictions. South Korea and the European Union have protocols that provide for temporary lockdowns, while Japan, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Argentina and Saudi Arabia have adopted regional restrictions, valid only for the affected states. The area of the affected farm was isolated and ...