February 14, 2007

Philippines intensifies monitoring after suspected bird-flu carrier found

The Philippines has intensified monitoring measures on possible bird flu presence in the infection- free country after a migratory bird suspected of being a carrier of the virus was found dead last Saturday, local reports said on February 13.

The Department of Health (DOH) said they were still verifying the cautionary report, which also said that no official explanations have been disclosed on the suspected bird flu case.

Health officials learned of the death of a heron at a wetland feeding area near Prieto Diaz town, some 390 kilometres southeast of Manila after conducting a heightened information drive among local folk, the report quoted Dr Eric Tayag, chief of the National Epidemiology Centre as saying.

The information drive, Tayag said, asked residents to report any "suspicious deaths" of fowl and other birds.

The DOH and the Department of Agriculture (DA) are jointly conducting investigations on the reported dead heron with other government agencies, Tayag added.

Local town mayors have been urged by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap to prepare bird flu containment plans to control any possible outbreak.

According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, towns adjacent to Prieto Diaz have been included into an expanded watch list for bird flu epidemics.

The Philippines, Singapore and Brunei are the remaining bird flu-free countries in Southeast Asia.