Falkland Islands insists with Avian influenza (chook flu) warning
Bird flu continues to trigger illness in birds and animals within the northern hemisphere and studies are confirmed of seals affected by the virus within the very south of Chile and Argentina
In advance of the summer time season, the Falkland Islands Veterinary Service wish to remind the general public to stay conscious of any attainable instances of avian influenza (chook flu) in our wild or home birds.
There have, up to now, been no confirmed instances of avian influenza (chook flu) in Falklands wild or home birds. Since September 2022 there have been elevated biosecurity measures for incoming flights and cruise vessels.
Bird flu (extremely pathogenic avian influenza H1N5) continues to trigger illness in birds and animals within the northern hemisphere and studies are confirmed of seals affected by the virus within the very south of Chile (*). This is the time of yr when migrating birds and animals begin to return to the Falklands and we now have an elevated variety of guests coming to the Islands, which means that the danger of getting chook flu launched to our chook and marine mammal populations is excessive.
During the final season the Veterinary Service and the Environment Department have labored with varied FIG departments and the non-public sector to make sure that the potential of avian influenza reaching chook colonies, through human vectors, was lowered. The public will see footbaths being rolled out once more to the vast majority of places throughout the Islands, this can be a key piece of biosecurity tools.
FIG have ready data and steerage about chook flu and preventative measures to try to scale back the unfold of the virus. This steerage could be discovered right here:
If you see any uncommon wild chook or home/business poultry behaviour please report this to the Veterinary Services on tross@[email protected] 27366 or out of hours 55366.
(*) Cases of avian flu penalties have been reported alongside the Argentine coast. In Uruguay the poultry business foyer has imposed strict measures at farms and processing crops however not the identical could be mentioned of untamed life amongst marine birds and seals.
