UPDATE!!!
The governor of Pampanga province has declared a state of calamity in the entire province due to a bird flu outbreak in one of its towns, the first in the Philippines. This is after Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol confirmed that a strain of the avian influenza virus was confirmed in San Luis town, affecting mostly layer poultry farms which produce table eggs.
Around 37,000 fowls, mostly quail and ducks, have died of the Avian Influenza Type A Subtype H5 in recent months. Six farms in Barangays San Carlos and Santa Rita in San Luis, Pampanga were affected by the outbreak.
3 farms suffered a 100 percent death rate of its fowls, while overall mortality rate in the affected area was placed at 34.5 percent.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered a ban on the transport of poultry from Luzon to other parts of the country until further notice. Fowls and eggs from the controlled area are not allowed to be brought out. This is to ensure that the outbreak will be controlled.
Twelve quarantine teams are guarding exit routes with power sprays to disinfect vehicles coming out of the quarantine area. Ninety quarantine officers have been sent to the area to enforce quarantine measures with assistance from police.
The ongoing crisis may affect the supply of eggs in the market, but not chicken.
Around 37,000 fowls, mostly quail and ducks, have died of the Avian Influenza Type A Subtype H5 in recent months. Six farms in Barangays San Carlos and Santa Rita in San Luis, Pampanga were affected by the outbreak.
3 farms suffered a 100 percent death rate of its fowls, while overall mortality rate in the affected area was placed at 34.5 percent.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered a ban on the transport of poultry from Luzon to other parts of the country until further notice. Fowls and eggs from the controlled area are not allowed to be brought out. This is to ensure that the outbreak will be controlled.
Twelve quarantine teams are guarding exit routes with power sprays to disinfect vehicles coming out of the quarantine area. Ninety quarantine officers have been sent to the area to enforce quarantine measures with assistance from police.
The ongoing crisis may affect the supply of eggs in the market, but not chicken.
Investigation of the outbreak began last Aug. 4, Piñol said. But deaths of quail and ducks began on the last week of April, followed by reported deaths of chickens in May.
The Agriculture Department has yet to confirm the source of the outbreak. The DA is looking into two major angles for the infection: contact with migratory birds and smuggling in of Peking duck.
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine Assistant Director Celia Carlos said tests confirmed that the virus found in the outbreak area did not have the H5N1 strain. Samples will be sent to Australia to confirm its exact strain and results are expected in two weeks.
Meanwhile, around 200,000 fowls within the 1-km radius quarantine area of San Luis town will be culled, burned and buried in the next 3 days to control the outbreak. Another 7-km radius controlled area has also been declared. The quarantine will last for a period of 90 days.
The farmers whose fowls will be culled shall be compensated by the government. Loan programs will also be made available to poultry farmers affected by the outbreak. "We assured them that government would compensate and, initially, it was agreed that we would compensate at a rate of P80 per head," Sec. Piñol said.
Avian influenza is a viral infection that spreads among birds but can infect humans as well. As of Friday, authorities have not received any report of human infection.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), human infection is primarily acquired through direct contact with infected animals. They also clarified that there is no evidence that the avian flu can be acquired by eating properly cooked eggs or poultry.
The infection may cause diseases such as mild conjunctivitis or swelling of the eyes, severe pneumonia and even death. Interaction with infected people does not result in "efficient transmission" of the flu.
Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial said the outbreak is still under the DA's investigation and advised the public to take precautionary measures against the flu. "Do not go near wild birds or go to farms with fowls! If you have flu symptoms that last longer than 3 days or feel very weak, see a doctor or go to the nearest hospital for testing if its bird flu!" she said.
sources: ABS-CBN, GMA News
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), human infection is primarily acquired through direct contact with infected animals. They also clarified that there is no evidence that the avian flu can be acquired by eating properly cooked eggs or poultry.
The infection may cause diseases such as mild conjunctivitis or swelling of the eyes, severe pneumonia and even death. Interaction with infected people does not result in "efficient transmission" of the flu.
Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial said the outbreak is still under the DA's investigation and advised the public to take precautionary measures against the flu. "Do not go near wild birds or go to farms with fowls! If you have flu symptoms that last longer than 3 days or feel very weak, see a doctor or go to the nearest hospital for testing if its bird flu!" she said.
sources: ABS-CBN, GMA News
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