[CLSTR]
< Back to situations

Monitor this situation.

[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [HEALTH]

4 clusters · 14 sources · 25 days · First seen · Last updated

Avian disease outbreak in the Azores

Overview

Following reports of dead pigeons on the islands of Terceira and Graciosa, the Bloco de Esquerda (BE) political party formally requested that the Azores regional government provide transparency regarding the surge in bird mortality. The party criticized the lack of specific data, including the number of incidents and the results of laboratory examinations. Deputy António Lima emphasized that timely access to information is an essential duty of public entities when health concerns arise.

Subsequent developments saw the regional government implement an indefinite ban on pigeon hunting and bird fairs after the Newcastle disease virus was detected in wild birds, specifically the rock pigeon and Eurasian collared dove. While symptoms have been observed on six islands, laboratory confirmation has been secured for four: São Miguel, Terceira, Graciosa, and Pico.

Luís Estrela, the regional director of Agriculture, Veterinary and Food, stated that there are currently no confirmed outbreaks in commercial poultry farms. The regional government is awaiting further results from the National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research (INIAV) and has acquired diagnostic kits to perform local testing.

Regarding food safety, authorities emphasize that consuming properly cooked poultry meat and eggs does not pose a significant risk to humans. The primary danger lies in direct contact with infected wild birds. Human infection is considered rare and typically occurs through unprotected contact with sick or dead animals, often manifesting as mild symptoms such as conjunctivitis.

Entities

Azores Regional Government · Terceira Island · Luís Estrela · Azores · Bloco de Esquerda

Timeline

  1. 10 days ago

    [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Newcastle disease confirmed in wild birds across four Azores islands

    Newcastle disease has been confirmed in wild birds on four islands in the Azores. No outbreaks in poultry farms have been detected, and authorities state cooked poultry and eggs remain safe for consumption.

  2. 16 days ago

    [HEALTH] 5 sources
    Azores confirms Newcastle disease in wild birds

    Newcastle disease has been detected in wild pigeons and doves across several Azores islands, leading to an indefinite ban on pigeon hunting and bird fairs to prevent transmission.

  3. 29 days ago

    [HEALTH] 6 sources
    Azores bans pigeon hunting and bird fairs due to Newcastle disease

    The Azores has banned pigeon hunting and bird fairs indefinitely after the Newcastle disease virus was detected in wild birds, citing risks to poultry production and food safety.

  4. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Azores government urged to disclose details on dead pigeon outbreak

    Bloco de Esquerda has asked the Azores regional government for detailed information on recent pigeon deaths on Terceira and Graciosa, criticizing the lack of official data and urging transparency.

Sources

acorianooriental.pt · diariodistrito.sapo.pt · diarioleiria.pt · dnoticias.pt · dobrapraxe.cz · emissoradasbeiras.pt · greensavers.pt · jornalacores9.pt · observador.pt · postal.pt · rr.pt · sapo.pt · theportugalpost.com · tv.sapo.pt

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history