Hundreds of dead storks have been found in the Community of Madrid. The bodies of the birds were discovered in the vicinity of the Manzanares River as it passes through Perales del Río and La Marañosa; they are believed to be victims of an avian influenza outbreak.
The Community of Madrid has tasked the Forest Agents Corps and Firefighters with the task of removing the dead animals.
The regional Minister for the Environment, Agriculture, and the Interior, Carlos Novillo, indicated on Friday that there may be a decrease in avian influenza mortality, having detected fewer dead birds in the affected areas. In response to the offer of assistance from the Government Delegation, he stated that "the teams are sufficient".
Novillo made these remarks during a visit to the works of the Isabel II Canal in Boadilla del Monte, where he pointed out that "the mortality rate has decreased" because "there is not as much removal of carcasses," although he advocated for remaining vigilant to check if "the curve" of dead birds declines.
The Minister has stated that a meeting has already been held with the municipalities affected by this new avian influenza outbreak, the fourteenth since September, and has once again conveyed a message of calm, insisting that it is not a disease that can be transmitted to humans, although actions are being taken in compliance with safety protocols.
They explain that firefighters face daily biological risk situations where they follow the usual protocol established for these cases, applying appropriate procedures for their protection, as they claim has been done in this case.
Regarding the communication of this outbreak, the Ministry has emphasized that, "just as in the previous 13," it has acted according to the procedure established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, with which it has maintained coordination since September, when this disease appeared in Spain and also in the Community of Madrid.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the Madrid Firefighters' Union demanded the dismissal of the Director General of Emergencies, Pablo Cristóbal, due to the "poor management" of the avian influenza outbreak recorded in the region.
Meanwhile, from the regional government, they have emphasized that these tasks are carried out in strict compliance with safety protocols to prevent infections, and that the remains of the animals are managed by an authorized company that destroys them.
The latest outbreak, detected yesterday, has left around 500 dead storks in the Manzanares River area.
Containment and Protocols From the Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture, and the Interior, they have told Europa Press that the usual procedures for the removal of stork carcasses affected by avian influenza have been applied.
