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The South American region is on high alert due to an outbreak of avian influenza, which has already left a significant number of mammals and birds dead in Chile, a country in which a case of infection in a person was also reported. The authorities of the countries of the region have taken drastic measures due to these events in order to prevent its contagion from spreading further and affecting thousands of farmers.
Chile has reported the death of 1,535 sea lions and 730 penguins to date due to the bird flu virus, mainly in the northern regions of the country, although it could be extended to the center-south of the territory.
The health authorities have asked the population to avoid contact with unknown birds or mammals, even more so if they exhibit strange behavior. If so, they asked to notify the relevant authorities.
“Something like what is happening now has never happened in Chile,” warned Soledad Tapia, director of the Chilean National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca). The official added that the most affected species are wild ones, such as pelicans.
The first case of bird flu detected in Chile was on February 15 in a dead sea lion in the north of the country.
But this is not the only country affected by the virus. In Peru, authorities reported the deaths of 3,492 sea lions and 63,000 birds in early March.
There is peace of mind about transmission to humans
Although the disease mainly affects wild birds and some mammalian species, its transmission is also possible to humans.
Last Wednesday, the Chilean Ministry of Health reported the first contagion in a person. It is about a 53-year-old man who presented severe flu symptoms, of which until now it has not been possible to clarify how he contracted the virus, but it is under investigation, according to the Ministry.
They added that the man is currently stable and that they carry out an epidemiological fence with the people who had contact with him before his diagnosis was confirmed.
The authorities gave a piece of peace of mind assuring that there are no known cases of transmission from person to person.
“It is very difficult for it to be transmissible from human to another, unlike Covid. There are various forms of transmission. We are facing a disease in which there is no record of contagion between people,” said Andrea Albagli, Chile’s Undersecretary of Health.
“Avian flu is transmitted through contact with infected animals. We have no record of transmission between people, the impact on people’s health is limited.”
?️ Undersecretary of Public Health @AlbagliAndrea in interview with @futurofm pic.twitter.com/L7ulgzRfXV
– Ministry of Health (@ministeriosalud) March 31, 2023
Earlier this year, Ecuador reported its first case of avian influenza virus transmission in a 9-year-old girl, so scientists have been preparing vaccines against the virus if required.
There are some vaccines on the market to control the virus. In Chile, the Ministry of Health has said that vaccination work has already begun in the country for people over 80 years of age in rural areas, as they are the ones who present the greatest risk.
They also reported that there is currently an availability of 129,000 doses, which are expected to be placed in the coming weeks.
Brazil joins preventive measures
This same Friday, the Brazilian health authorities prohibited the holding of fairs, exhibitions, tournaments and other events that have agglomeration of birds in order to prevent the virus from entering the territory of the world’s largest producer and exporter of chicken meat.
The measure will initially be applied for 90 days in a preventive manner due to the increase in cases in other countries in the region such as Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Venezuela and Colombia, many of which have already declared a health emergency and slaughtered thousands of birds.
With Reuters and EFE
