CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda ordered yesterday strict inspection and surveillance of all poultry farms in Pampanga province to prevent further spread of the bird flu virus.
This was gleaned during the emergency meeting held here by Governor Pineda together with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan led by Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda, Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Director Roy Abaya and Dr. Ronnie D. Domingo of Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), regarding the update on avian flu that struck the province recently.
The meeting was also attended by municipal mayors, agriculturist and veterinarians, farm owners, representative and officers from various national agencies and department heads of the provincial government.
The order stemmed from the death of thousands of quails, chicken and ducks in the poultry farms due to bird flu virus in San Carlos, San Luis town.
According to the lady governor, poultry farms of each town are required to undergo examination and are compelled to issue a clearance before declaring province-wide free from avian flu.
It was learned that Avian Influenza Type A (H5) virus that struck the province is designated as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
In the past two weeks the provincial government was able to deploy Delta Nurses together with the Provincial Health Office (PHO) led by Dra. Ming Ignacio wherein 220 individuals were vaccinated separately from August 12-13.
Through the instruction of DA and in coordination with the local government units (LGUs) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), at least five checkpoints were established in San Simon NLEX Exit (Sto. Domingo Side), San Luis Operations Center, Sta. Ana Junction (Jollibee), Amber Resort in Mexico and in Sto. Tomas (near Church).
Digging of mobilized backhoe for excavation of burial pits were also prepared to cull affected poultry quickly.
During the meeting, Dr. Domingo discussed the close monitoring procedures conducted by BAI to infested poultry farms which includes disinfection, isolation, quarantine, depopulation and proper disposal.
He also mentioned the symptoms of the virus on poultry such as exhaustion, inappetence, nasal and oral discharge and death within 24 hours.
“May katangian ang ibang virus na kapag nalipat na sa ibang species, patay agad yung nadapuan,” the doctor said.
Also the BAI banned the movement of live domestic and wild birds including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs, semen and manure from the provinces of Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao since both remain free from avian flu.
Transporting of live domestic and wild birds shall only be permitted with the issuance of ‘shipping permit’ and veterinary health certificate issued by a government sector veterinarian clarifying that these products were sourced from farms with no incidence of avian influenza for the past 21 days prior to shipment.
Similarly, uncooked poultry products shall also be accompanied by a shipping permit or a meat inspection certificate.
With this, Vice-Governor Pineda expressed an alarming concern on bird flu that greatly affects the poultry industry and urged mayors of each town specifically those who falls under the 7km radius to immediately submit blood, saliva and manure samples of chickens to regional laboratories for further examination.
The disease was reported to the DA on August 3 which sprung from the case of dead chickens in San Luis.
The governor also disclosed an anonymous billionaire who plans to buy at least one million eggs in Pampanga to help rise the poultry industry in the province.
At present, Pampanga has a total poultry population of 3,015,080. –Ma. Reina Len Luna/PIO Pampanga