ASIDE from the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCov), Negros Occidental is also currently on “very high alert” against possible entry of H5N1 virus from China that threatens the P7-billion poultry industry of the province.
Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena Wednesday, February 5, said no suspected bird flu mortalities were reported in the province since an H5N1 outbreak was declared in a China province killing over 4,000 chicken heads over the weekend.
Decena said migratory birds are possible carriers of the virus, and that province hosts some migratory paths or flyways particularly in San Enrique town and cities of Sipalay, Himamaylan and Escalante.
“We are on a very high alert status in terms of bird flu like the African swine fever (ASF),” he said, adding that monitoring is on especially on the movement of migratory birds from far east countries affected by the avian flu.
H5N1 is a type of influenza virus that causes a highly infectious, severe respiratory disease in birds called avian influenza.
Decena recalled that in 2017, there was a confirmed bird flu outbreak in the country particularly in Nueva Ecija and Pampanga.
Some 600,000 poultry animal heads were culled during that time, while the mortality was pegged at 31,000 heads.
Decena pointed out that like the coronavirus, the H5N1 is also transmissible.
It can affect the local poultry industry, including gamefowl, by transmitting the virus to local birds like ducks and domestic chicken, the provincial veterinarian said.
“So there’s really a threat that is why we need to undertake necessary measures to protect the local poultry industry, which is even bigger than that of swine,” he said, adding that “what is more dangerous is that it can also be transmitted to human.”
In terms of measures, the Provincial Veterinary Office along with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) is set to conduct sample testing among birds from identified migratory sites in the province.
The annual sample testing is usually conducted every May of the year, the time when migratory birds are presumed to have left the country.
Based on the result of last year’s sample testing, Negros Occidental remains free of avian influenza or bird flu.
Decena said amid concerns on the possible contamination of the virus in the Philippines, there is a need to increase precautionary measures in the local level.
Travelers he said like game fowl breeders coming from “prohibited” countries should practice downtime or implementing quarantine measures before entering their farms.
Decena said that they are urging local breeders to practice the same.
“There are about 190 sub-types of bird flu and there are no vaccines manufactured for that purpose, so quarantine measures should be strictly imposed,” he added.