Brazil detects first Newcastle disease case in poultry since 2006

Sao Paulo | Reuters—Brazilian authorities are taking measures to contain an outbreak of Newcastle disease in the country’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, according to a statement from local meat lobby ABPA on Thursday.

The government had confirmed late on Wednesday that a sample tested positive for the viral disease, saying it came from a commercial poultry farm in the municipality of Anta Gorda.

“The official protocols to mitigate (risks) have been put in place and the surrounding area continues to be monitored,” ABPA said.

Newcastle is a viral disease that affects domestic and wild birds, causing respiratory problems, among other symptoms. Its notification is mandatory as per guidelines from the World Organization for Animal Health.

The last confirmed cases of Newcastle disease in Brazil occurred in 2006 in subsistence birds in the states of Amazonas, Mato Grosso and Rio Grande do Sul, the agriculture ministry said.