DA, local government eliminate bird flu in Nueva Ecija

The Department of Agriculture and the local government of Nueva Ecija have successfully managed, controlled and contained the avian influenza A(H5N6) incidence that occurred in a barangay in the town of Jaen last March.

In its official report to the OIE or World Organization for Animal Health on July 16, the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said it has not detected any cases of A(H5N6) among poultry farms in the vicinity of the index or affected farm in Jaen, in the last 90 days, after completion of cleaning and disinfection procedures of the affected farm.

"We commend the strong partnership among the quail farm owner, provincial and municipal officials and veterinarians, and our DA Central Luzon Regional Field Office (RFO3) and BAI team for successfully solving the A(H5N6) incidence in Jaen, Nueva Ecija," Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.

Upon confirmation of said AI incidence on March 13, 2020, the DA together with the farm owner, local officials and veterinarians immediately "stamped out" the affected farm, properly disposed of all birds, and undertook thorough cleaning and disinfection procedures, according to DA-BAI Director Ronnie Domingo.

A series of surveillance activities were also undertaken to determine the extent of infection and capture unreported cases, Domingo noted.

"All laboratory tests yielded negative results for both quarantine and surveillance zones. Early reporting and early multi-agency response provided effective closure of the Nueva Ecija avian flu incident," Dar said.

The avian flu incidence at a quail farm in Barangay Ulanin-Pitak, in Jaen, was initially reported by the Nueva Ecija Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), on March 9.

On March 13, 2020, laboratory tests showed the infected quails were positive for AI A(H5N6).

The PVO, along with the Jaen Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO), DA-RFO 3 and DA-BAI Veterinary Quarantine Service veterinarians and technical persons, conducted immediate disease control measures and depopulation to mitigate the spread of the disease on March 14, 2020. Subsequently, cleaning and disinfection were implemented, said Domingo.

Surveillance around the one kilometer and seven-kilometer radius was carried out, and quarantine checkpoints were established to restrict movement and trade of all poultry animals and to ensure that the disease has not progressed, the DA-BAI chief said.

The DA urged poultry farmers and the public to report immediately any unusual bird mortalities to DA-BAI. —LBG, GMA News