BRASILIA — The Brazilian government confirmed on May 16 its first outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry farm in Rio Grande do Sul.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) stated its national contingency plans for HPAI were used including containment and eradication.

“These efforts are aimed at eliminating the outbreak, safeguarding the productivity of Brazil’s poultry sector, and ensuring the continued supply of safe, high-quality food to the population,” MAPA said.

The Brazilian Association of Animal Proteins (ABPA), a trade association, issued a statement regarding its support for how MAPA was handling the situation.

“All necessary measures to contingency the situation were quickly adopted, and the situation is under control and monitored by government agencies,” ABPA said.

A Reuters report explained that China decided to halt poultry imports from Brazil for 60 days but items in transit would not face any issues.

Other large destinations for Brazilian chicken are Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

MAPA also confirmed that it notified the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH) and other stakeholders about the HPAI outbreak. Brazil has previously reported HPAI in wild birds since 2023.

Since the beginning of the HPAI outbreak in the United States in 2022, almost 170 million birds have been affected.