The Department of Agriculture (DA) and Nueva Ecija local government have successfully eliminated bird flu or the avian influenza A(H5N6) that occurred in a barangay in the town of Jaen in March.
The DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), in its official report to the OIE or World Organization for Animal Health on July 16, said that zero cases of A(H5N6) were detected among the poultry farms within the index vicinity of the farm in Jaen in the last 90 days after authorities conducted disinfection and cleaning.
“We commend the strong partnership among the quail farm owner, provincial and municipal officials and veterinarians, and our DA Central Luzon Regional Field Office (RFO3) and BAI team for successfully solving the A(H5N6) incidence in Jaen, Nueva Ecija,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.
On March 13, Secretary Dar confirmed the detection of Bird Flu or H5N6 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Jaen, Nueva Ecija.
Dar said samples from a farm collected in Barangay Ulanin-Pitak were subjected to tests conducted last Friday, March 13, and results showed these were positive for avian influenza.
The first avian flu outbreak recorded in the Philippines was in August 2017. It was officially declared over in September 2017.
The outbreak killed 37,000 birds (August 11), while more than 600,000 birds were culled (September 4).
Bird flu, or avian flu, is an infectious type of influenza that spreads among birds. In rare cases, it can affect humans.
Although H5N6 does not infect people easily and aren’t usually spread from human to human, several people have been infected around the world, leading to several deaths.
The DA appealed to the public to immediately report the deaths of birds to DA-BAI.