ILOILO City – Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a zoonotic disease which means it could spread to humans.
With cases of bird flu confirmed in a barangay in Roxas City, the Department of Health (DOH) issued an advisory.
Bird flu is transmitted to humans through inhalation or contamination with infected discharges or feces of sick chicken.
Signs and symptoms include fever, sore eyes, cough, sore throat, difficulty of breathing, body weakness muscle pain, and diarrhea.
To protect oneself, prevention measures include washing of hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling live and dressed chicken.
It is also important to cook chicken thoroughly.
Too, it is advised not to sell live chicken, ducks and pigs together in one cage or pen area.
Moreover, catching or getting near or keeping in captivity wild birds are not advisable.
When there is sick or dead bird, do not handle it with bare hands. Use gloves or plastic material for the hands, facial masks and goggles.
Furthermore, DOH advised everyone to report to the nearest agricultural / veterinary office any unusual death or illness of chicken and other birds as well as report to the nearest local health centers any case of respiratory illness with history of exposure to sick chickens and other birds.
According to the DOH, treatment of bird flu in humans is the same as for other influenza viruses.
It cited that antiviral drugs, such as Osetalmivir, halt the progress of the illness if given within the first two days from the onset of fever.
Western Visayas recorded its first cases of bird flu in Barangay Cagay, Roxas City in Capiz province. Five of the 10 samples tested positive for the bird flu while 26 ready-to-lay chickens died.
Following the first detected cases, several areas in the region are now under close monitoring by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 6. They have identified bird flu critical areas in the region such as in Ajuy, Sara, Concepcion, and Dumangas towns in northern Iloilo; Sibalom, Antique; Sipalay City, Negros Occidental; Barangay Bugnay, Jordan, Guimaras; and some areas in Aklan and Capiz.
“Amo ni sila ang may mga sanctuary sang mga migratory birds. Amo na ang gina-monitor namon. Ginapangkwaan naton sang samples kag ginapang-test ini siya,” said DA-6 OIC-regional executive director, Engr. Jose Albert A. Barrogo.
In Luzon, cases of bird flu were traced to migratory birds stopping by marshes./PN
