26.10.2012

Mexico says an outbreak of the H7N3 avian influenza virus in western Mexico has been “totally controlled” after 68 days without any reports of new cases.

President Felipe Calderon said that more than 22 million hens had been slaughtered throughout the country since efforts to contain the outbreak were announced in July.

The outbreak caused price increases in chicken and egg products in Mexico. The United States was among the countries that began exporting eggs to Mexico to help lower egg prices. The outbreaks began on Jun 13 on commercial farms in Jalisco state and were Mexico's first highly pathogenic avian flu event since the mid 1990s.