The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered on Monday, March 29, stricter measures to contain and control the spread of bird flu following the outbreaks of Avian Influenza (AI) or H5N1 in duck and quail farms in Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna, and Camarines Sur.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said they have already issued a memorandum circular that contains the guidelines on "local movement of domestic and wild birds and poultry products and by-products during the Avian Influenza surveillance period."
He said it will regulate the movement of ducks, quails, chicken, and other poultry in bird-flu-affected areas, especially commodities from within the one-kilometer (km) quarantine area.
"We need to act immediately to control avian influenza — which was initially detected in a duck farm in Bulacan and quail farms in Pampanga — so that we can prevent further spread and damage to our poultry industry," Dar said in a statement.
Meanwhile, DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director Dr. Reildrin Morales said that farm owners should comply with the agency's requirements to mitigate the virus's animal and public health risks.
He revealed that the DA also found confirmed cases of bird flu in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Tarlac, Sultan Kudarat, and Benguet, possibly due to migratory or resident wild birds, suspect cases of sick or dying birds, and illegal movement of infected birds from infected areas.
"The DA-BAI has been closely working with local government units (LGUs), DA-Regional Field Offices (RFOs), and other poultry industry stakeholders to ensure that biosecurity and disease control measures are implemented accordingly," he added.
The agency also coordinated with the health department to monitor the possible transmission of the disease to humans, Morales said.
"Let me reiterate to our stakeholders, especially the LGUs and the poultry raisers – please report cases immediately. You are the first to know if there are suspected cases as you are working on the ground. So, we depend and rely on you in this battle against avian flu," Dar said.