Brazil poised to declare itself bird flu 'free,' state official says
By Ana Mano, Roberto Samora and Debora Ely
SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazil is ready to declare the country free of the bird flu virus on commercial flocks, Edivilson Brum, the head of Rio Grande do Sul state's agriculture department, said on Wednesday in a statement.
The 28-day countdown for reclaiming the country's disease-free status began on May 22 following the complete disinfection of the farm where Brazil's only commercial flock outbreak was detected last month.
Under existing trade protocols, China and other importers banned chicken imports from Brazil, the world's largest exporter, pending measures to control the disease on commercial facilities.
"We have fulfilled all the steps provided for in the health protocols so that Brazil can once again declare itself an influenza-free country to the World Organization for Animal Health," Brum said, referring to the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI).
The Brazilian ministry of agriculture did not have an immediate comment.
Brazil's first outbreak hit a chicken breeder farm in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul last month, triggering trade bans that may now be reversed with the regaining of the disease-free status.
Reclaiming Brazil's status as free HPAI is not automatic and must be confirmed by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), according to guidelines from the body.
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