January 12, 2006

27 provinces in Philippines free of bird flu
 

Tests conducted on native fowl and game in 27 Philippine provinces in the flight path of migratory birds did not show any sign of bird flu infection, the Department of Agriculture said Thursday.

In a report to Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban, Bureau of Animal Industry Director Dave Catbagan said 3,350 blood samples and 2,626 fecal swabs collected from birds in those critical areas tested negative for bird flu.

Results of surveillance on suspected bird flu cases also showed that the birds tested negative for bird flu antibodies, Catbagan said.

However, some of those cases tested positive for Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease and infectious laryngotracheitis.

The Philippines remains one of the few countries in Asia that has not reported any cases of the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus, which has infected 140 people in the past five years and caused the culling of millions of poultry over the period.