BAI: Gamefowls from US negative for bird flu

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has released the 378 gamefowls held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after the birds tested negative for avian influenza.

In a statement yesterday, BAI officer-in-charge Enrico Miguel Capulong said 30 of the fighting roosters were subjected to avian influenza tests as part of quarantine protocols.

“Test results indicated that all tested gamefowls were negative of the highly pathogenic avian influenza or the H5N1 strain,” Capulong said.

Juan Bacar Jr., the consignee of the imported gamefowls, said two of the birds died while in BAI custody.

Capulong has said the fighting roosters were taken to the BAI office for testing upon arrival from Atlanta, Georgia in the US.

He maintained that an outbreak of H5N1 may cause substantial damage to the Philippines’ poultry industry and undermine the country’s food security.

“We are verifying reports that the birds originated from California, a US state where there is an H5N1 outbreak. We cannot take information like this for granted. We have to follow quarantine protocols,” Capulong said.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has banned the importation of domesticated and wild birds, including poultry products and eggs, from California and Ohio due to the avian influenza virus.

Capulong said importers of breeding stocks need to observe the 30-day quarantine for the birds in close coordination with the BAI officer.