‘Don’t kill migratory birds from China’

The Philippines yesterday warned citizens not to kill or poach migratory birds flying in from China, the possible source of avian flu, to avoid worsening the situation. There has been no case of human transmission but the virus prompted a cull of 200,000 fowl last week after it was detected on a farm in the province of Pampanga, and spread to five farms. “The culling, poisoning or chasing of migratory birds is strongly discouraged as they have proven ineffective and counterproductive.”