The province of Bataan has been declared by the Department of Agriculture as an avian influenza-free province, becoming the third province to regain its freedom status nationwide amid an earlier string of bird-flu outbreaks.
Senior Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban issued Memorandum Circular (MC) 39 series of 2022 that officially recognized Bataan province as free from bird flu. MC 39 was signed by Panganiban on November 14.
MC 39 explained that Bataan has not recorded any bird-flu outbreaks for more than 40 days since the last disinfection operation in the province.
Under the World Organisation for Animal Health’s Terrestrial Animal Health Code, an area can regain their freedom status from bird flu after a minimum period of 28 days after implementation of stamping-out policy, disinfection measures and surveillance program.
“Results of subsequent disease monitoring in the 1-kilometer and 7-kilometer surveillance zones surrounding the affected farms yielded negative results for influenza type A virus,” the memorandum circular read.
“The last HPAI H5N1 laboratory detection in Bataan was on 22 March 2022,” it added.
The DA earlier declared the provinces of Camarines Sur and Davao Del Sur free from bird flu. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2022/07/05/da-declares-camarines-surdavao-del-sur-free-of-bird-flu/)
Latest data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), as of October 20, showed that 136 barangays nationwide have been affected by bird flu since the start of the year. The number corresponds to 68 cities and municipalities in 18 provinces across 9 regions.
BAI noted that as of October 20, there was no ongoing bird flu case since necessary culling or depopulation measures have been undertaken by authorities.
BAI data showed that there are 41 cities and municipalities with no reported bird flu case for more than three months already while 13 cities and municipalities have no cases for at least 61 to 90 days.
The government has culled over 1.2 million birds this year to control the spread of the AI.
The Philippines lost earlier this year its bird-flu free status after the government reported its first confirmed outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Type A subtype H5N1 in Central Luzon. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2022/02/22/phl-reports-new-avian-flu-outbreaks-in-central-luzon-farms/)
Image credits: Chayakorn Lotongkum | Dreamstime.com, CDC