Guatemala redoubles sanitary measures after the confirmation of a highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu case in Izabal

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA, for its acronym in Spanish) has reinforced sanitary measures in Guatemalan territory, after confirming a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 detected in wild birds at the Motagüilla farm, El Quetzalito town, municipality of Puerto Barrios, department of Izabal. The case was diagnosed in the national laboratory and confirmed by the National Laboratory of Veterinary Services of the United States Department of Agriculture, and announced on Tuesday (14). It is important to highlight that there is no case in technical poultry farming or in subsistence poultry farming, that is why the necessary health measures are being taken to protect the birds, ensuring safety to continue consuming chicken, hen and eggs. As a strategy to prevent the entry of the virus into technical and backyard poultry farming, MAGA intensified active and passive epidemiological surveillance through the National Poultry Health Program (PROSA) of the ...