Solon Brochado: The avian flu scare has finally reached Brazil. This wednesday, a rooster died with symptoms that resemble those caused by the H5N1 virus. Experts say other respiratory diseases that affect birds have similar symptoms and that it will probably be a false alarm.

If it’s confirmed, though, it won’t be very good news for the Ministry of Agriculture, that’s already having a hard time dealing with the foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in Mato Grosso do Sul’s cattle. And it certainly won’t be good news for Brazil’s exports, since poultry, cattle and pork exports are expected to reach the US$ 8 billion mark this year.

Rooster dies from suspected avian flu in SP

The country’s first possible case of avian flu was reported this wednesday in the São Paulo countryside. A rooster died with simptoms of the disease at a farm in the town of Marília. The rooster’s remains will be sent to the Instituto Adolfo Lutz for exams that will detect the presence of the H5N1 virus.

The bird was found dead by the property’s owner, who didn’t want to be identified. After the report, the region was interdicted by the town’s Sanitary Surveillance and will remain closed until after the test’s results.

According to municipal health authorities, the symptoms presented by the rooster are common to other respiratory diseases found in birds.

The major concern, at this point, is with the possible contact with migrating birds that arrive at the region. However, ornithologists say the Marília birds couldn’t have been in recent contact with other continents’ birds. The last migration was in February and the next one will be the swallows from the Northern Hemisphere in December.

São Paulo State’s Press Office informed it will only make an announcement after the bird’s examinations have been concluded.