The vaccination campaign against bird flu began in Ecuador on March 3, 2023, with an initial import of four million doses. The process began at a poultry farm in Puéllaro, north of Pichincha, where the first detected and controlled outbreaks of the disease were recorded. At the same time, it will be carried out in the provinces of Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Bolívar, Azuay and Imbabura; A total of 17 cases have been recorded in all of them.
“We are taking the necessary measures to support the poultry sector, which is one of our main sources of supply of chicken meat and eggs. Vaccination will continue in the provinces where there were positive cases of the virus”, mentioned Andrés Suárez, Vice Minister of Rural Development, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG).
The Secretary of State highlighted that the vaccination will be carried out in farms that comply with the implementation of biosafety measures, that have registered their farms with the Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency (Agrocalidad), and that have a veterinarian responsible for the farm, in addition to negative results to diagnostic tests.
The executive director of Agrocalidad, Patricio Almeida, mentioned that avian influenza is not an isolated event in Ecuador, but is present in the American continent and its spread is intensified by migratory birds. Suárez added that, in order to carry out actions to support the poultry sector, the MAG extended the animal health emergency declaration until May 27. In this way, actions will be carried out to counteract the effects of the presence of avian influenza in the country. / The Telegraph