After the implementation of preventive measures, the Department of Agriculture (DA) declared that Bulacan province is now free from avian influenza.
In a statement on Friday, April 26, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said that the declaration was made as it has been 90 days since the cleaning and disinfection of poultry facilities.
“According to the Bureau of Animal Industry’s AI monitoring, the last reported H5N1 infection was in early May last year in a gamefowl farm in Santa Maria,” the DA reported.
The first record of the H5N1 infection in Bulacan began around January 2022 to February 2023, as the DA found several cases in Baliwag City, towns of Pulilan, Santa Maria, San Rafael, San Miguel, and San Ildefonso.
The strain was found on ducks, quail, native chickens, chicken layers, broiler breeders, and gamefowl during the 14th-month period.
Because of this, depopulation, disinfection, and transport bans were made to prevent the disease from spreading elsewhere. Tests revealed negative results following the careful procedure conducted on the infected zones.
Since March of this year, over 135 poultry facilities in Bulacan have been registered.