SENASICA reported that the outbreaks were both located in Encarnacion de Diaz in the State of Jalisco. This is the same state as the June 2012 HPAI and borders the other most recent outbreak reported on 8 January in Aguascalientes.

The notice indicates that signs of the event first occurred on 12 January 2013, and were reported by establishment veterinarians to SENASICA officials.

Birds on the farms were 72 and 65 weeks of age and most probably layers even though the notification does not indicate as such.

The OIE notice indicates that 397,513 birds are susceptible to the virus and that over 18,000 deaths occurred.

SENASICA indicates that depopulation and disinfection will be employed along with other active and passive surveillance, quarantine, and movement controls.

According to the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the current Jalisco outbreak and the recent Aguascalientes outbreak raise questions as to how the market will react and if there will be any influence on domestic egg and poultry prices.

SENASICA has been making a concerted public relations effort along with the Mexican National Poultry Union (UNA) to indicate that situation is under control and that the virus is contained. Some of this is to keep speculation on egg prices, a consumer staple in Mexico, under control.

Other press articles have been reiterating the importance of the limited geographic scope of the outbreak in relation to maintaining other Mexican states eligibility to export poultry meat and related products.

Regarding egg prices, prices seem to be falling (see chart below) and according to the National Service of Market Information (SE/SNIIM) range between 23 and 27 pesos per kilogram for most urban centers.

Chart 1. Mexico: Major market retail egg prices at wholesale market in US $/Kg

Further Reading You can visit the Avian Flu page by clicking here.