Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 23) — The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the highly-pathogenic H5N6 avian influenza detected in Nueva Ecija four months ago has been “successfully” contained.
In a statement on Thursday, the DA said that in the last 90 days, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has not detected any cases among poultry farms in the municipality of Jaen. Cleaning and disinfection procedures in the farm were already completed, it also said.
A report was already submitted to the World Organization for Animal Health on July 16, it added.
Avian influenza is a viral infection affecting not only birds but also humans through secretions. The same strain was detected in Pampanga and Nueva Ecija in 2017, but no human transmission of the disease was recorded.
After more than two years, the DA announced the reemergence of the avian influenza in March. Agriculture Secretary William Dar said this was detected in a quail farm in Barangay Ulanin-Pitak after a test was done on March 13 due to the death of 1,500 out of 15,000 quails in the said farm.
Upon confirmation, authorities “stomped out” and disposed of all birds from the infected farm. The “1:7 protocol” — or a one-kilometer control zone and a seven-kilometer surveillance zone — was also implemented, while checkpoints were also put up to control the trade of poultry animals.
Despite this, the DA said that it is still early to declare that the country is free from the virus again.
BAI Director Ronnie Domingo said there are ongoing bird flu surveillance in other areas.
“We are still conducting bird flu surveillance in other provinces,” he said. “We need to wait for the completion of these field investigations.”
