BIRD FLU STILL SPREADING IN PH

The bird flu outbreak is far from over as the Philippines logged new cases of avian influenza in parts of Luzon and Mindanao.

Outbreaks were reported in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Isabela, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga, all in Luzon, the government said in two separate reports to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

The avian virus also reached Davao del Sur, Maguindanao, North Cotabato and South Cotabato in Mindanao.

All outbreaks have been resolved except in Sagrada, Camarines as of press time.

The latest areas affected by the bird flu include the barangays of Camias, San Carlos, San Juan in Pampanga, and Marabulig II in Isabela, Manarog in Nueva Ecija, and Sagrada in Camarines Sur.

In Mindanao, the disease hit the barangays of San Isidro in Davao del Sur, Kauran in Maguindanao, Bialong in North Cotabato and Manuel Roxas in South Cotabato.

Due to the bird flu, 75,448 birds have died in Luzon while 86,136 have been killed and disposed of.

Meanwhile, in Mindanao, a total of 795 birds have died and 12,299 have been killed and disposed of.

Early in April, the Department of Agriculture (DA) allotted an initial budget of P25 million to indemnify poultry raisers affected by this incident.

Reildrin Morales, director of the Bureau of Animal Industry, had said the funding would be taken from the agency’s quick response fund.

The first cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza were seen in January this year, affecting quail and duck farms in some provinces of Central Luzon, with the H5N1 type being the most dominant strain.