BRASILIA – The Brazilian government has confirmed a new case of bird flu at the Brasília Zoo after two birds were found dead last week, intensifying concerns as the country continues to manage an avian influenza outbreak.
Brazil, the world’s largest exporter of chicken meat, halted poultry exports to over 20 countries following the outbreak that began in mid-May. Authorities closed the Brasília zoo on May 28 after discovering a dead pigeon and duck, both suspected of carrying the virus.
On June 3, the Federal District’s Agriculture Secretariat announced that lab tests confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the birds. The zoo will remain closed until at least June 12, provided no additional cases are detected.
According to the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, this case brings the national total of confirmed bird flu incidents to five. The first case emerged on May 16 at a farm in Rio Grande do Sul, a southern state in Brazil.
Avian influenza has affected poultry industries worldwide in recent years, prompting mass culls, occasional human infections, and rising egg prices. The World Health Organization warns that while human cases are rare, the virus can cause severe illness and has a high fatality rate, especially among individuals with close exposure to infected birds or contaminated environments.