Brazil has declared a six-month animal health emergency after several cases of avian flu were found in migrating wild birds.
Seven cases have been reported in Espirito Santo state, with another discovered in Rio de Janeiro state.
The emergency declaration makes it easier for the government to now bring in measures to halt the highly infectious H5N1 virus spread
Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of chicken meat, with annual sales of nearly $10bn (£8bn).
Brazil authorities disclosed that the cases were found far from Brazil’s main areas of production located in the southern part of the country.
However, outbreaks in commercial flocks elsewhere have sometimes been observed to follow the discovery of avian flu cases in wild birds.
The finding of a case on a farm often triggers a cull of a large number of birds, which can sometimes prompt trade restrictions from other countries.
The health emergency has been declared across the whole country for the next 180 days as a safety precaution.
The world has been going through its worst outbreak of bird flu since October 2021, causing the deaths of more wild birds than ever before. Some mammals are also catching the disease.
Scientists are uncertain as to why this recent outbreak is proving to be worse, however, the World Organisation for Animal Health has reported “devastating impacts on animal health and welfare”.
The World Health Organisation has advised that the spread of bird flu be monitored closely to see whether it is mutating into a form which can be spread among humans.
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