QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ruled out migratory birds as the source of the bird flu strain found in San Luis, Pampanga.
Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan said that this was not yet the season for migratory birds.
He explained that the department is pursuing scientific processes to determine the bird flu virus strain that struck chicken and other birds in San Luis, Pampanga. He said the department had already sent pathological samples to experts in order to ascertain the particular bird flu virus strain that hit San Luis.
Meanwhile, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Biodiversity Management Bureau director Mundita Lim in an advisory warned citizens not to kill or poach migratory birds that usually fly in from China to avoid worsening the situation.
“The culling, poisoning or chasing of migratory birds is strongly discouraged as they have been proven ineffective and counterproductive. Close contact with the birds will risk transmission,” Lim said.
“We may need to determine the actual strain and do some epidemiological assessments so we can make the proper disease management recommendations, along with the DA and the DOH (Department of Health), in accordance with the creation of an inter-agency committee on zoonosis,” she added.
Zoonosis, according to the World Health Organization is any disease or infection that is naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans.
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