CEBU, Philippines — In response to the news of the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in Hunan, a Province of China, Cebu Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy assured the public that monitoring is being regularly done.
"For the cases in China about H5N1, and Probinsya sa Sugbo, we continue to do our surveillance. Every year, kaduha ta mag-surveillance for Avian Influenza," she said.
She added that surveillance is done during migration period of birds in key sites like Olango Island, Bantayan Island, Talisay and Argao during March to April.
Another one is done in August to September for poultry around the migration areas.
Vincoy said that samples will then be taken from fowls to test for the pathogenic disease.
Last year, 105 samples have been sent to the Bureau of Animal Industry, and they all tested negative of Avian Influenza.
She added that upon the confirmation of the H5N1 cases, the national government is mandated to implement a ban on all the poultry products from the affected province.
"Kaning nahitabo sa China for H5N1, automatic na siya nga kung naa'y positive cases, i-ban na siya sa Philippine Government. Our role diri sa local government unit is to do the bird flu surveillance sa mga highly densely populated areas as well as sa katong mga area nga naay migratory birds," she said.
The H5N1 is a highly pathogenic disease that comes with a 60 to 80 percent mortality rate and can be carried by mammals as well, Vincoy said.
Right now, experts are still studying on how this specific strain of Avian Influenza will affect humans.
Apart from Avian Influenza, the province is also closely monitoring for the prevention of the possible entry of the Newcastle Disease, another infection among poultry and fowls brought by the Newcastle disease virus (NVD).
Too recall, the PhilStar.com has reported that H5N1 recently killed 4,500 chickens in Shaoyang City of central Hunan province.
This, amid the current dilemma that China is facing on the nCoV-ARD that has spread to other countries like the Philippines. (FREEMAN)