DA urges poultry owners to report sick birds amid threat of bird flu

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday urged the public to report to authorities if their poultry animals are sick in light of the threat of bird flu.

At the Laging Handa public briefing, DA Secretary William Dar said the country has documented cases of bird flu due to infected migratory birds from Southeast Asia.

“Kung meron na tayong na-obserbahan sa mga ducks, quails, o sa poultry ay isangguni agad sa ating municipal or provincial veterinarian,” he said.

(If we notice something on ducks, quails, or poultry, report it immediately to municipal and provincial veterinarian.)

The veterinarians will coordinate with the Bureau of Animal Industry and DA’s regional field offices, Dar added.

If poultry animals are tested positive of the disease, Dar said the department will conduct a depopulation, burning and burying infected animals to prevent the further spread of bird flu.

The disease was detected in duck and quail farms in Bulacan and Pampanga in January and February this year, the DA said.

Dar also said monitoring and surveillance especially in swampy areas like rivers where migratory birds come should be intensified.—LDF, GMA News