PVO on alert over deadly H5N1 bird flu in China

THE Cebu Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) is on heightened alert following the report of a “highly pathogenic strain” of the H5N1 bird flu in Hunan Province, China.

Provincial Veterinarian Mary Rose Vincoy on Monday, Feb. 3, 2020, said they conduct two surveillance operations annually for avian influenza – before the migratory season between March and April, and between August and September.

“Our role here in the local government unit (LGU) is to do the bird flu surveillance in densely populated areas as well as areas with migratory birds like Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City,” she said.

Vincoy said Olango Island is identified as a “critical area for migratory birds” by the National Avian Influenza Surveillance Program.

“The different LGUs are already made aware, especially when in 2017, we had cases of avian influenza in the country, but that was of a different strain (H5N6). Just like before, we’re intensifying our border control,” she added.

In 2017, some 37,000 birds died from Avian Influenza Subtype H5 in what has been declared as the first bird flu outbreak in the country.

The A H5N6 deaths were recorded in six farms in San Luis, Pampanga. Infections were also reported among fowls in two towns of Nueva Ecija.

Although there are no reported cases of H5N1 in the Philippines yet, Vincoy said poultry products from countries affected by the avian influenza may be banned from entering the country.

Vincoy said there are poultry products in Cebu that are imported from foreign countries, but these will have to go through the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the agency authorized to issue import clearances.

“One of our main concerns is Bantayan Island where around one million eggs are produced daily. That will have a huge impact on layers,” she said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), H5N1 is a type of influenza virus that causes a highly infectious, severe respiratory disease in birds, called avian influenza (or bird flu).

“Human cases of H5N1 avian influenza occur occasionally, but it is difficult to transmit the infection from person to person. When people do become infected, the mortality rate is about 60 percent.”

WHO said almost all cases of H5N1 infection in people have been associated with close contact with infected live or dead birds, or H5N1-contaminated environments.

“The virus does not infect humans easily, and spread from person to person appears to be unusual. There is no evidence that the disease can be spread to people through properly prepared and thoroughly cooked food.” (RTF)

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