Dumaguete chickens negative for bird flu

CEBU CITY — Blood and coacal samples from dead chickens from Dumaguete City did not have traces of avian flu when they were tested at the Regional Animal Disease diagnostic laboratory here. Last week, the Department of Agriculture investigated the deaths of 32 chickens, 12 fighting cocks and 20 native chickens, from four backyard farms in Barangay Talay, Dumaguete. “We are happy that the result is negative from avian influenza virus,” said Dumaguete veterinarian Dr. Lourdes Socorro. Socorro is waiting for the results of another laboratory test confirming that the birds died from a respiratory disease known as New Castle Disease. (Juan Carlo de Vela)