H7N3 bird flu outbreak reported in Mexico

Mexico has reported an outbreak of the highly contagious H7N3 bird flu virus on a commercial farm in the western state of Jalisco, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Thursday, citing a report from Mexico's agriculture ministry.

The virus, which does not pose a serious danger to people, was detected among laying hens in a flock of 15,000 birds that had been vaccinated and did not show any clinical signs of the disease, the Paris-based OIE said in a notification.

The farm, located in the town of Tepatitlán de Morelos, is under quarantine and the birds have been sent to a slaughterhouse near the site, it said.

Mexico's agriculture ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mexico is a major chicken exporter.

In March, a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu was found in a chicken breeder flock on a Tennessee farm contracted to Tyson Foods Inc., the first discovered in the United States this year.

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