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Thursday, November 10, 2005
NegOcc may lose billions due to bird flu scare
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
IT ALL started in a text message from an unknown sender.
But if it won't be contained at the soonest time, the bird flu scare that now caused "paranoia" among the Bacoleños and the Negrenses might bring severe damage to the province's multi-billion peso chicken industry, warned Dr. Renante Decena, the provincial veterinarian.
Worst to be affected in this case, he said, are the broiler, layer and gamecock industries. People might not buy nor eat chicken or eggs anymore like what is happening in Vietnam now, Decena said.
Or, the province's export business of game fowls and poultry products to other countries and to other parts of the country might suffer a tremendous set back, he added.
Based on an estimated calculation, the broiler industry alone could suffer losses reaching P110 million in one month or P1.2 billion in one year.
The layer industry lose about P750,000 in daily income or P2 million a month. If sustained for a year, the damages could total P264 million.
The gamecock industry is also expected to lose about P600 million a month or P7.2 billion in one year.
The text message said: "Avoid eating chicken, Negros Occidental is positive for bird flu. Please send to your loved ones, this is not a joke, a migratory bird in Escalante was tested positive."
"It's totally a lie! False alarm. No truth on that," the provincial veterinarian stressed during an ambush interview with the Capitol media Monday.
He said, "Only a person in authority from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BIA) or Philippine Animal Health Center (PAHC) can declare any bird flu case in the province."
As of press time, he clarified that no case of bird flu contamination has been reported nor was there any bird that was found to be positive for the virus in the province.
In his updated report to the office of Governor Joseph Marañon, Decena pointed out that a migratory bird was confirmed to have died in Barangay Tomongtong in E.B. Magalona town but stressed that this was due to pneumonia and not of bird flu.
The report was submitted to the PAHC and BAI in Manila last October 20, 2005.
Shocking
Mayor Santiago "Mai-Mai" Barcelona of Escalante City was also shocked by the text message that also entered his mobile phone unit.
"It's shocking! I stayed awake until midnight on Sunday just to answer all the queries about that text message that categorically labelled our city as the site of the first bird flu case in the province. Even broadcaster Joe Taruc of dzRH in Manila called me up and asked about the said text message," the mayor confessed.
"What I answered to all of them who queried: No, no, no, no and no," added Barcelona.
Decena, on the other hand, got his cellular phone damaged Sunday night because of more than 30 messages that entered in series asking a confirmation regarding the said text message.
Still safe
Decena stressed, "It's still safe to eat chicken "inasal" in Bacolod. There's no cause for alarm of course!"
Mayor Evelio Leonardia also appealed to all Bacoleños to help explain to the public particularly to the visiting foreign delegate-athletes, officials and coaches for the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in the city that not even one bird flu case happened in Negros.
"Let's not panic! Instead, we should be vigilant and careful in believing any text messages," the mayor asked the public.
He also asked the media to verify or do a check and re-check method to all sources of information before airing or printing the stories about bird flu.
"Please get the accurate facts from the official sources of the stories," he appealed to the media.
This to avoid unnecessary anxiety to the public, he explained.
On top of the situation
But in case there might be an occurrence of bird flu in the province, Dr. Luisa Baquerquer-Efren, provincial health officer stressed that the province is "on top of the situation."
The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod, stressed Efren, is now ready to accommodate any bird flu-stricken patients.
All unused medical equipment intended for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) patients purchased by the province before are now being readied by the CLMMRH doctors.
All concerned agencies directly involved on the matter were also asked by the governor to coordinate and help each other to address the problem if there is any in the future.
Foot bath
Meanwhile, Decena said the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) is now strictly implementing quarantine measures at the Bacolod airport and several seaports in the city and other places in the province to prevent the spread of the disease, should there be any.
Even the visiting Seag athletes and officials will be required to undergo the quarantine measures upon their arrival in the city, he added.
Negrense duck raisers in the identified migratory bird areas had been advised also to confine their ducks up to February next year. February is the end of the migratory season for birds.
PVO will start undertaking every six months serum and cloacal swab for laboratory examination as part of the regular bird flu surveillance and monitoring.
Viral infection
Bird flu or avian influenza is a viral infection. It spreads easily and quickly among birds, a medical research from the Internet disclosed.
At least 15 types of avian flu had been detected, the research added.
Birds spread the virus to one another through secretions and droppings.
Some species of wild birds, such as ducks, also carry the virus and infect other birds without getting sick themselves.
Other bird species, including domestic poultry animals are more likely to become severely ill and die when infected.
Recent scientific evidence shows though that the avian flu virus does not spread easily or rapidly from one person to another.
This is because the virus, explained Decena, could easily be killed by boiling water on 30 to 60 degrees centigrade.
(November 8, 2005 issue)
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