Cuban zoo reports bird flu outbreak

"Six diagnoses from properly accredited laboratories indicate that the virus subtype circulating during the outbreak is consistent with H5N1," CENASA said in a statement. In this regard, the organization said that appropriate sanitary measures have been taken to contain the spread of the virus, such as quarantine and temporary closure of the zoo.

Pastor Alfonso, a CENASA specialist, described the introduction of bird flu into Cuba as "a natural and inevitable process, since it is impossible to stop the flow of migratory birds to and from the island."

According to the official statement, cases have been reported only among exhibiting birds, and since 2020, only 7 human cases of H5N1 virus have been reported worldwide.

“The staff working at the zoo is under clinical and epidemiological surveillance in compliance with biosafety rules and today is in good HEALTH,” he said.

CENASA recommends avoiding contact with dead or sick birds and notifying the nearest veterinary office if this occurs. In addition, the organization emphasizes: "Do not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with excrement or secretions of wild or domestic birds."

Risk to the poultry industry

Despite the low risk to humans, the consequences of the spread of bird flu in nurseries can be catastrophic, especially for the economy, says Yolanda Capdevila, CENASA epidemiologist for the government newspaper Granma.

“While birds are not mass-raised for human consumption in Cuba, they do so for the production of eggs. If the virus spreads in a production center, it would mean culling all the birds in that location, whether they have symptoms or not,” she said.

Capdevila also noted that the economic losses would be very high, in addition to driving up the price of eggs, a product that is already expensive on the national market. Cuba has long experienced a shortage of certain products, including poultry products, for political reasons.