By Ministerial Agreement No. 273-2011, the Government of Guatemala has declared a state of emergency for animal disease across the country, establishing an "area under Animal Health Control" in the town of Pastores, Department of Sacatepéquez, as the ground zero area of the classic swine fever.
According to an article in Siglo XXI, the ministerial agreement involves "the creation of a Special Commission, with members including the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Health Regulations, the Director of Animal Health and the Head of the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance and Risk Analysis. The functions of the commission are to define general guidelines for the operation, develop a contingency plan and prepare a final report for the ministerial and executive office. The commission must also adopt emergency measures to prevent economic losses and a real threat to food security in the country. "
Source: proceso.hn
More on this topic
May 2011
From May 13 the country will be declared free of classic swine fever.
Dr. Marvin Rodriguez, head of epidemiological surveillance department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAG), confirmed that for the last five years, the virus which transmits the disease has not circulated in pig populations in Nicaragua.
December 2011
The Guatemalan Ministry of Livestock, with the resurgence of an outbreak of the virus, has lifted the ban on importation of the vaccine.
The import, manufacture and marketing of the vaccine against swine has been forbidden since last March 2009.
An article in Prensalibre.com explains, "However, on November 22 , the MAGA declared a state of animal health emergency after detecting an outbreak of swine fever on farms in Chimaltenango, which led to the culling of more than 16,000 pigs which according to the entity 'makes it necessary to allow importation of the vaccine under official supervision. "
May 2010
The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) declared the country as free of classic swine fever (PPC).
Guatemala had lost its swine fever-free status back in 2009, when an outbreak was detected on a farm in the region of Palín.
“This declaration allows us to resume exporting pork to other markets” said David Orellana, Agriculture Ministry.
August 2011
The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has declared the country free of classic swine fever.
Since 2006 the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), the National Service of Agricultural Health (SENASA) and the International Regional Organization for Animal Health (OIRSA) have worked together to eradicate the disease.
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