Bird Flu Update: Department Of Agriculture Confirms Cases In 2 Nueva Ecija Towns

The Department of Agriculture confirmed cases of bird flu in 2 towns in Nueva Ecija on Aug. 18. The municipalities of Jaen and San Isidro, which are only about 32 kilometers from San Luis, Pampanga, have tested positive of the same strain of avian flu that affected poultry farms in Pampanga.

According to an Inquirer report, around 307,000 birds died due to the outbreak in Nueva Ecija. It was discovered in a quail farm in Jaen and a layer farm in San Isidro and confirmed through tests by the Animal Diseases Detection Laboratory.

DA To Follow Same Protocol For Bird Flu

In another Inquirer report, the agriculture department’s Central Luzon regional office says that they will implement the same protocol they did in Pampanga. According to Felicito Espiritu Jr., “A task force is set to implement the culling similar to the one done in San Luis.” After setting up a 1-kilometer radius near the affected farms, they will begin culling all types of fowl. A quarantine will also be established for chickens and other fowl, and their eggs coming from farms within a 7-kilometer radius.

The Department of Health on the other hand has dispatched a team to the Nueva Ecija towns to monitor the outbreak. According to spokesperson Dr. Enrique Tayag, although the problem remains “an animal health problem,” they still need to monitor these areas closely to make sure that no animal-to-human transmission happens.

Don’t Harm Migratory Birds. Says DENR

The Philippines plays host to migratory birds from different parts of the world, such as China. The environment department have began monitoring bird sanctuaries, particularly in Central and Southern Luzon. These birds are natural carriers of avian flu viruses which can affect local poultry when they come in contact with them.

The department’s Biodiversity Management Bureau issued a public advisory not to catch or kill migratory birds, and if in case they find dead wild birds, these should not be handled but should be reported to the nearest DENR office.