Bulacan bird flu contained
After the one-kilometer radius surveillance from the infected farm, it will be expanded to a seven-kilometer surveillance to ensure that the area is bird flu-free.
The Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry on Friday reported that it has resolved and contained the bird flu contamination in poultry farms in the province of Bulacan following the implementation of reinforced control measures.
DA-BAI assistant director Arlene Asteria Vytiaco stressed that the DA-BAI has immediately implemented depopulation, intensive surveillance in the one-kilometer quarantine zone as well as cleaning and disinfection at a layer poultry farm in Santa Maria, Bulacan after confirming it tested positive of HPAI Subtype H5N1 on 31 January 2023.
“We intensified the control measures against the spread of bird flu to avoid surges of the disease,” Vytiaco said.
She added that the Bulacan farm is the first layer poultry farm affected by bird flu this year, but the case has been resolved and contained.
After the one-kilometer radius surveillance from the infected farm, it will be expanded to a seven-kilometer surveillance to ensure that the area is bird flu-free.
Vytiaco said that the DA-BAI is also closely working with partners in the local government units, DA regional field offices and private sector stakeholders for the strict and effective protocol implementation to protect the country’s poultry industry.
The assistant director also encouraged farm owners and workers to regularly practice cleaning and disinfection, limiting farm visitors, and doing bird proofing strategies, adding that early reporting of unusual mortality is key to manage the risk of further infection.
Vytiaco said DA-BAI has allotted a P177.78 million for the government’s Avian Influenza Protection Program that will roll-out mitigating measures before and during outbreaks of bird flu.
The fund which is higher than the allocation in past years will also be used to stop the spread of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus in the country by reinforcing disease control measures and to respond to animal disease emergencies through early detection and reliable laboratory diagnostics.
The DA has earlier issued memorandum orders to temporarily ban the importation of domestic and wild birds and poultry products from countries with confirmed AI virus outbreak to prevent the entry of HPAI virus in the country.
According to Vytiaco, the presence of migratory birds that are common at this time of the year was also identified as a risk factor as they can affect the local poultry population with the virus from infected countries.