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Sunday, October 09, 2005
Vets rule out bird flu in sudden death of chickens
MANILA -- Government veterinarians said Saturday that poisoned water, not bird flu, caused the sudden death of 50 chickens in Calumpit, Bulacan.
Veterinarians of the Bureau of Animal Industry rushed to the village outside the town of Calumpit on Friday, alarmed at the reported deaths of the free-range chickens.
After running laboratory tests on blood samples overnight and interviewing the birds' owners, officials found that the chickens died from drinking water contaminated by an "unlabeled antibiotic" bought from the local market, Divino Catbagan, director of the Bureau of Animal Industry told the Associated Press.
"Definitely it was not avian flu and it was a non-viral disease," he said. "We want to tell the world we don't have avian influenza."
So far, the Philippines has been free of the deadly bird flu virus that has ravaged other Southeast Asian countries' poultry industries and killed more than 60 people.
Catbagan said the police were investigating the source of the alleged antibiotic.
He said chickens that did not drink the infected water were unaffected.
Calumpit, about 40 kilometers northwest of Manila, is the same town where a lower-risk version of bird flu was discovered at a duck farm in July.
The discovery prompted officials to impose a three-kilometer quarantine zone around the farm, where 230 ducks were culled. Migratory birds may have infected the ducks, officials said at the time.
That farm is about two kilometers from the village where the chickens died.
The Agriculture office have identified bird flu hotspots in the country that include Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Sibugay, Palawan, Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte, Aparri, Cagayan, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Isabela, Lake Mainit in Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Roxas City, Sorsogon, General Santos City, Mindoro Oriental and Cotabato.
The areas have an abundance of swamplands and watering holes that are periodically visited by migratory birds. The migratory birds are the biggest threat if they are infected with the virus, the agriculture office said.
The Philippines has taken a number of precautionary measures against bird flu, including strict bans on poultry imports from affected countries. The country's P150 billion poultry industry employs 300,000 people.
In fact, the province of North Cotabato launched an intensified information drive on residents of at least four municipalities surrounding the Liguasan Marsh, which is set to become temporary home of migratory birds that are feared to be infected with a bird flu virus.
Enrico Garzon Jr., provincial veterinarian, said though there is no direct threat of a possible bird flu epidemic in their province they are however not taking any chances especially that migratory birds from other countries already affected by the virus are set to arrive in Liguasan Marsh this month.
For this, Garzon said, they launched massive information dissemination in at least four municipalities identified as M'lang, Pikit, Midsayap and Pigcawayan.
Garzon said they are also closely monitoring the bird sanctuary in the municipality of President Roxas.
"Right now we are giving lectures on bird flu virus and how to detect it and what to do about it," Garzon said.
Garzon added that a regional bird flu team was also created to specifically address and monitor any bird flu incident in the region.
Garzon assured the public though that so far they have not monitored any possible infection or threat.
The Liguasan Marsh, which is a known bird sanctuary because of its lush forest, is about 40 km long and 30 km wide and lies in the heart of Central Mindanao.
Last month, Environment Secretary Michael Defensor ordered the suspension of permits to import exotic pet birds from 10 Asian countries hit by avian flu, and ordered a tight watch on ports of entry, smuggling routes and 55 swamplands across the Philippine archipelago that draw migratory birds from China, Japan and South Korea. (Sunnex)
(October 9, 2005 issue)
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