An outbreak of avian flu in western Mexico has killed at least 870,000 poultry birds since its detection last month but poses no threat to humans, according to the country's agriculture ministry.
The H7N3 flu was detected in two municipalities in the state of Jalisco, Mexico's largest chicken farming region, and authorities have been working quickly to contain the outbreak, a statement from the ministry said.
"There is no risk of infection (in humans) as a result of consuming poultry," said Jose Munoz from the Jalisco state government.
It was not clear how many of the 870,000 birds - just a small fraction of the national flock - had contracted the flu and how many had been culled by farmers to contain its spread, an agriculture ministry official said.
Mexican health inspectors had examined nearly 150 poultry farms in Jalisco by Friday and detected the virus in 10.
"The virus has never been out of control. It is localized in two places in Jalisco and up until now there is no evidence that it is anywhere else," the official said, asking not be named.
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Health officials are on high alert for new viruses in Mexico since the 2009 outbreak of H1N1 virus, known as 'swine flu' that shut down the capital city for several days when it was detected in humans.
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