Pampanga beefs up prevention, control vs Avian Flu
The provincial government beefs up its prevention and control measures against avian influenza incidences that has been reported in some farms in Candaba and Mexico last January. (Pampanga PIO)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The provincial government is beefing up its prevention and control measures against bird flu incidences that have been reported in some farms in Pampanga last January.
During a meeting with poultry stakeholders in the province, Governor Dennis Pineda said everyone’s participation is crucial to further control and save the poultry industry from the negative impact of avian influenza.
The Provincial Action Plan, according to Pineda, requires implementation of biosecurity and disinfection, isolation and quarantine, surveillance and reporting of incidents within 24 hours.
Also, the provincial task force consisting of Provincial Veterinary Office and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) was placed on a 24/7 operations in an office at the Provincial Engineering Compound.
“We have established control points by BAI and the Philippine National Police within one-kilometer of laboratory-confirmed farms. Big and backyard farms within the said control points must first present BAI-negative tests before their birds are allowed to be hauled outside of the control points,” the governor said.
For his part, Provincial Veterinarian Augusto Baluyut said the quick responses in 2017 and 2020 helped limit and eradicate the H5N6, a virus that affects birds only.
Meanwhile, BAI Officer Glofezita Lagayan said the virus strain H5N1 was the one detected in quails and ducks in parts of Bulacan and Pampanga recently.
She added that this was the first time that this strain was detected in the two provinces although it had been detected since 1997 in many parts of the world.
However, the Department of Health assured that there is no known transmission of the H5N1 to humans or vice versa.
It should be noted that bird flu cases were reported in Candaba and Mexico towns earlier this year, but these have been put under control following culling of around 50,000 infected birds from Pampanga and Bulacan provinces.
