DOH: No need for Aquino, entourage to undergo quarantine

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Department of Health (DOH) clarified yesterday that despite fears of possible resurgence of the deadly bird flu virus, President Aquino and his entourage do not have to be placed in quarantine when they return from their state visit to China.

“There is no need for that. In the first place, there is no travel advisory in China and even in the Philippines,” said Health Assistant Secretary and chief epidemiologist Dr. Eric Tayag.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had recently warned the people that a mutant strain of bird flu was found in some poultry farms in northern and central Vietnam.

The FAO earlier urged heightened readiness and surveillance against a possible major resurgence of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The virus has reportedly infected 565 people since it first appeared in 2003, killing 331 of them, according to World Health Organization (WHO) figures.

The latest death occurred earlier this month in Cambodia, which has registered eight cases of human infection this year, all of them fatal.

The Philippines, along with Brunei, continues to remain free of bird flu. While the risk that the mutated strain could affect humans is not yet established, it is initially feared that it might render the vaccines for animals ineffective.

Tayag said there is no need to isolate Aquino and his delegation because animal handlers alone are at risk of being exposed to the virus that was observed in poultry.

“In case you get exposed to the animal handlers, you will also not get the virus because there is no human-to-human transmission. What we have is bird-to-human transmission,” he added.

But while insisting that there is no cause for alarm over this development, the DOH has called on the public to observe precautionary measures to avoid the virus.

The DOH has asked the public to practice personal hygiene like constant washing of hands and covering the mouth when coughing and sneezing. 

Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez said they would coordinate with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to strengthen the vigilance against bird flu, and prevent the possible importation of tainted poultry from other countries.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is set to team up with the BAI to beef up vigilance against the possible entry of poultry products amid reports that a mutant strain of the deadly bird flu virus is spreading in Asia and beyond and could endanger human health.

Alvarez said there are already representatives from the Department of Agriculture (DA) who join Customs employees in inspecting importations of agricultural products.

The BAI is an attached agency of the DA.

“As of now, the Customs and the BAI employees are very strict on the containers of agriculture products. We would (be strict) in all agricultural products. Since we do not know where they originated, we might as well be vigilant,” said Alvarez.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala assured the public that the government is taking all measures to prevent bird flu from spreading in the country.

Alcala had issued new orders for stricter surveillance of imported poultry products entering the country’s seaports and airports. – With Evelyn Macairan, Marianne Go