Brasilia, May 25 (IANS): The Brazilian government has declared a six-month health emergency after several avian flu cases were found in wild birds.

While seven of these cases were found in Espirito Santo state, Rio de Janeiro state has reported one, the BBC reported.

The health emergency was declared on Wednesday across the whole country for the next 180 days as a precaution.

According to authorities, the declaration will it easier for the government to now bring in measures to stop the highly infectious H5N1 virus from spreading, reports the BBC.

Brazil is the world's largest exporter of chicken meat, with annual sales of nearly $10 billion.

The authorities added the cases were found far away from the country's main areas of production in the south.

The worst-ever outbreak of bird flu currently underway since October 2021 has killed more wild birds than ever before.

Some mammals have also been infected with the virus

The World Health Organization has said that the further spread of the H5N1 virus will have to be monitored closely to see whether it is mutating into a form which can spread amongst humans.

Cases that do occur are the result of people coming into close contact with infected birds.