Brazil Declares Animal Health Emergency Due to H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak

Brazil has declared a six-month animal health emergency after several cases of avian flu were found in wild birds. The emergency declaration makes it easier for the government to now bring in measures to stop the highly infectious H5N1 virus from spreading. Brazil is the world's largest exporter of chicken meat, with annual sales of nearly $10bn (£8bn). The health emergency has been declared across the whole country for the next 180 days as a precaution. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the further spread of the H5N1 virus will have to be monitored closely to see whether it is mutating into a form which can spread amongst humans.