Importing of Chilean turkey meat restricted after discovery of bird flu

The importing of Chilean turkey meat has been restricted in Argentina, Peru and Hong Kong, due to an outbreak of bird flu in central Chile.

The outbreak, of a low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus, is under control, the Chilean State Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) reported on Wednesday.

"Regarding shipments of poultry and its products from Chile to various markets, the SAG has been notified of restrictions only on the part of Argentina, Peru and Hong Kong," the SAG said in a statement.

The three nations made that determination after an outbreak was detected on August 27 in a turkey pen at the Sopraval company, located in the Los Nogales commune, Valparaíso, 120 kilometres west of Santiago. 

Some 65,000 animals were slaughtered and as the authorities took control.

"From the point of view of the population's health, this event does not represent a risk, given that the consumption of meat and poultry by-products does not pose any danger of transmission to humans," added the SAG.

Chilean officials will now conduct an investigation to determine the causes of the occurrence of bird flu in Chile. Surveillance will also be carried out within a radius of two kilometres from the area where the outbreak occurred.

Samples have been taken from more than 1.5 million birds "and all the results have been negative for the disease," the SAG added.

In 2017, 35,000 turkeys were slaughtered after bird flu was detected in two bird farms in the Valparaíso region, which led Bolivia, Peru and Uruguay to suspend the importation of turkeys from Chile.

– TIMES/AFP