No avian flu infection among humans after culling — DOH

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – None of the hundreds of individuals who took part in the culling of chickens and other fowl at the avian flu “ground zero” in San Luis town contracted the disease, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

The DOH arrived at the conclusion after the lapse of the 10day surveillance period within which an individual exposed to infected poultry is deemed vulnerable to the disease. The last culling operation was on Aug. 19.

An Australian laboratory earlier confirmed the avian flu virus strain in Pampanga could contaminate humans.

Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial said suspected cases of transmission to humans are normally subjected to at least a 10-day observation before they are either confirmed or dismissed as ordinary flu.

Last Monday, the Jose B. Lingad Hospital discharged its last four patients who had exhibited flulike symptoms. They were the last of the 39 individuals examined in isolation for possible avian flu infection at the JBL Hospital and later discharged.

In Nueva Ecija, however, the 10-day surveillance period would lapse on Sept. 4 as culling operation ended only last Aug. 25.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) reported that close to 600,000 fowl – mostly chicken and quail – have been culled in San Luis in this province and in Jaen and San Isidro in Nueva Ecija.

In his speech during a recent gathering of poultry industry players and consumers, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol reported that “a total of 421,132 birds were depopulated in affected farms of San Luis, Pampanga” alone.

Piñol said poultry owners in San Luis were given a total of P20.7 million in compensation.

He said more than 400 personnel from the Philippine National Police, the military’s Northern Luzon Command, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Office of Civil Defense had helped in the culling operations.