ILOILO – The provincial government is keen on sealing Iloilo to prevent the entry of bird flu or avian influenza.
The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) expressed concern over reports that bird flu was detected among quails and ducks in Bulacan and Pampanga provinces.
“We are monitoring the situation. If bird flu hits us, basi maubos ang aton poultry industry diri,” said PVO head Dr. Darel Tabuada.
Bird flu is a viral infection spread from bird to bird. The most common kind of bird flu is the H5N1 strain. It is mostly a threat to birds and doesn’t spread easily among people.
The very few cases of human-to-human transmission were among people with exceptionally close contact.
On Monday Tabuada discussed with regional officials of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) – Department of Agriculture (DA) and other partner-agencies how to tighten the monitoring of Iloilo’s various ports of entry – the seaports in Dumangas and Estancia towns and the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan.
For its part, the provincial government will utilize the Iloilo Provincial African Swine Fever Task Force that is already in place in the ports since 2020. Looking out for fowls being transported into the province would be added to its personnel’s tasks./PN
