Further outbreak of Newcastle disease in Belize

BELMOPAN, Belize – OFFICIALS in Belize have announced that they would be taking further action to contain the spread of the highly contagious Newcastle poultry disease.

According to Caribbean 360, the outbreak was first reported in November when the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) revealed it had received confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture Laboratory that poultry specimens submitted from Belize had tested positive for the disease.

Although BAHA has already slaughtered thousands of infected chickens, the disease has spread from the Spanish Lookout area to other areas in the Cayo District and as far as Dangriga and villages in the Belize District.

BAHA Director Victor Gongora disclosed that stringent measures have been established for chicken handlers and that vaccinations would also be given.

“We’re doing movement control so we’re requiring the people that are moving anything to do with poultry have a permit from BAHA to move their chickens,” he said.  ~~Adz:Right~~

Virulent Newcastle Disease is a highly contagious viral disease of poultry and other birds. The outbreak marks the first time the virulent form of the disease has been found in Belize, although the non-virulent form is known to have occurred in the country before.

It has no public health implications for consumption as the disease is eliminated when the poultry is cooked.

Authorities have urged producers to inspect their poultry regularly, maintain good bio security practices and report suspicious clinical signs and unusual deaths promptly to BAHA.