MANILA – Fatal animal disease H5N6 avian influenza or bird flu has been detected in the country anew, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar said on Monday.
In a press conference, Dar said samples from a quail farm collected in Barangay Ulanin-Pitak in Jaen, Nueva Ecija were positive for avian influenza following a test conducted last week.
He added that the examinations were done after 1,500 out of 15,000 quails died in the said barangay.
“The highly-pathogenic avian influenza is a disease of poultry that can affect humans,” Dar said. “But the strain has not affected humans in the country so far.”
“Globally, there have been only a few cases of human infections and all of these were reported in China,” he added.
Humans are said to be infected through secretions from quails, but Dar clarified that there has been no human mortality from this so far.
The DA has imposed a 1-7 protocol where a one-kilometer radius will be the control zone, and the seven-kilometer radius beyond it will be the surveillance zone. A total of 25,000 quails have since been surgically stamped out.
“We will ensure that the incidence will be contained effectively and swiftly to prevent the occurrence of the unfortunate outbreak a few years ago,” Dar said./PN
