KALIBO, Aklan – The province of Aklan bans the entry of live domestic and wild birds, and poultry products due to threats of bird flu.
The Department of Agriculture detected cases of bird flu in duck and quail farms in Bulacan and Pampanga this year.
Bird flu (avian influenza) occurs and spreads via contact with an infected bird’s feces, or secretions from its nose, eyes or mouth. The most common kind of bird flu is the H5N1 strain.
Aklan governor Florencio Miraflores issued Executive Order No. 12 on March 2, 2022 for the temporary ban for 30 days on the entry of all poultry products including eggs, poultry meat, manure and semen from all regions in the country to protect the local poultry population and health of the public.
“There is an urgent need to prevent entry to protect the poultry industry, welfare of people and to maintain the bird flu free-status of the province,” the governor added.
Only poultry products originating or within Western Visayas are allowed to enter the province of Aklan provided the shippers have comply with the Veterinary Quarantine documents.
Miraflores also ordered the veterinary quarantine teams in provincial borders and ports to conduct routine inspections of incoming vehicles, passengers, poultry products and by-products.
All local executives are also encouraged to assist the veterinary quarantine teams and to strengthen biosafety, hygiene and sanitation standards in slaughterhouses, abattoirs, public markets and poultry farms for the safety of the public.
In addition, DA has urged poultry owners to report sick ducks, poultry or quails to provincial and municipal veterinarian.
Outbreaks of avian influenza among poultry occur periodically worldwide. Rare, limited, non-sustained, human-to-human transmission H5N1 viruses has occurred in other countries in the past./PN
