DA orders stricter measures vs bird flu

MANILA, Philippines — Agriculture Secretary William Dar has called for stricter control and containment measures against avian influenza or bird flu amid reported outbreaks in duck and quail farms in several provinces.

“We need to act immediately to control avian influenza, which was initially detected in a duck farm in Bulacan and quail farms in Pampanga, to prevent further spread and damage to our poultry industry,” Dar said.

He noted that the avian influenza virus detected in the country is of subtype H5N1, which also poses a threat to humans.

“This is the very reason we have to double our efforts in controlling and containing bird flu, and we can accomplish this through cooperation especially of those who are engaged in poultry production,” Dar said.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) had earlier issued a memorandum circular regulating the movement of ducks, quails, chicken and other poultry commodities in affected areas particularly within the one-kilometer quarantine area.

“Farm owners must comply with transport requirements in compliance with the prescribed surveillance period, diagnostic tests and biosecurity protocol of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). This is to mitigate animal and public health risks posed by the virus,” Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director Reildrin Morales said.

He said the DA-BAI is closely working with local government units (LGUs), regional field offices and other poultry industry stakeholders to ensure that biosecurity and disease control measures are implemented accordingly.

The DA-BAI, in coordination with the LGUs and the private sector, has been conducting surveillance in affected areas along with the Department of Health (DOH), which monitors possible transmission of the H5N1 virus to people.

To date, DOH personnel have not detected any sign or symptom of human transmission in all outbreak areas.

Morales said the DA also issued a memorandum circular on the guidelines on the movement of domestic and captured wild or ornamental birds and poultry products and by-products during the avian influenza outbreak.

New outbreaks

In a recent report to the OIE, the Philippines said new outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza were detected in Bataan, Camarines Sur, Laguna, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac.

Morales said confirmed cases of H5N1 have also been reported in Sultan Kudarat and Benguet.

He said migratory or resident wild birds, late or non-reporting of suspect cases and illegal movement of infected birds from H5N1-hit areas could be the source of infection.