Brazil is investigating four suspected cases of bird flu in humans, from residents of Espírito Santo, according to the Ministry of Health. Another 38 tests carried out on people from Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro who had contact with sick birds showed negative results for the H5N1 influenza virus.
The ministry monitors cases registered in wild birds in the country, notified by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa), and highlights that no cases have been confirmed in humans so far.
In Espírito Santo, the negative results include 33 samples from employees of Parque Fazendinha, where one of the birds was found, and another from an employee of the Institute for Research and Rehabilitation of Marine Animals (IPRAM). Another four exams of residents of the north of Rio de Janeiro were negative.
The transmission of the avian flu virus happens through contact with sick birds, dead or alive. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that, from what has been observed in the world, the virus does not easily infect humans and, when it does, person-to-person transmission is usually not sustained.
Emergency
On Monday (22), the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Fávaro, declared a state of zoosanitary emergency throughout the national territory due to cases in birds. The measure is valid for 180 days and aims to prevent contagion from affecting the production of subsistence and commercial poultry, in addition to preserving fauna and human health.
“The declaration of a state of zoosanitary emergency makes it possible to mobilize funds from the Union and to articulate with other ministries, governmental organizations – at the three levels: federal, state and municipal – and non-governmental organizations. This whole process is to ensure the workforce, logistics, financial resources and technological materials necessary to carry out emergency actions aimed at preventing the spread of the disease”, said Fávaro.
How surveillance works
When the Ministry of Agriculture is notified of a probable case of the disease in birds by the official veterinary service, epidemiological surveillance actions are initiated in the region by the municipal and state health departments, coordinated by the Ministry of Health.
In addition to epidemiological surveillance coordination, the Centers for Strategic Information on Health Surveillance (CIEVS) present in all states actively seek to identify and monitor people who have had contact with the birds, to ensure that they are tested, monitored and isolated, in case they develop flu-like symptoms, according to the Ministry of Health.
The collected samples are analyzed by the Central Public Health Laboratory (LACENs) and then sent for confirmation of the result by reference laboratories and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz).
Source: CNN Brasil
I am an experienced journalist and writer with a career in the news industry. My focus is on covering Top News stories for World Stock Market, where I provide comprehensive analysis and commentary on markets around the world. I have expertise in writing both long-form articles and shorter pieces that deliver timely, relevant updates to readers.
