QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) – Department of Agriculture (DA) regional executive director Roy Abaya on Monday, August 21 announced that the cleaning and disinfecting process with areas exposed to the avian influenza virus had been completed.
Abaya said that almost 500,000 poultry animals were culled in bird flu-affected farms, but will still have to wait for another 21 days before declaring the town of San Luis, Pampanga of bird flu-free.
“Then we will wait for another 21 days before fielding sentinel birds,” Abaya said.
“After 35 days at walang sintomas ang sentinel birds, pwede na natin ma-declare na bird flu-free ang town ng San Luis at yung mga karatig bayan,” he added.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Manuel Piñol said that the culling operations in Jaen and San Isidro, Nueva Ecija may end today and the bird flu outbreak in the province may be declared contained if there will be new case recorded within 21 days, which is the incubation period of bird flu.
Piñol also declared that the culling operations in Pampanga was already completed and has now entered the disinfection case.
Furthermore, Piñol said that poultry products in the market are safe.
“Let me emphasize this, anything that is sold in the market, manok, itlog, is safe because napaka-strikto ng ating quarantine measures, walang lumalabas sa 7-kilometer radius,” he said.