HUNDREDS of chickens in barangays in Labrador town reportedly died amid fears of an avian influenza outbreak in the area.

This, however, was downplayed by Dr. Joel Abalos, head of the Office of the Municipal Veterinarian (OMVet), and said the chickens died due to Newcastle Disease (ND) and not because of the dreaded highly pathogenic Asian Avian Influenza (H5N1).

Abalos said his office received the initial report of mass deaths of chickens in a poultry farm in Barangay Magsaysay.

The OMVet immediately validated the report, took blood and swab samples that were immediately sent to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Sta. Barbara town.

The results issued on Monday, March 7, confirmed the presence of Newcastle Disease, not of Avian Flu.

More mass deaths followed in the poultry farms in Barangays of Bolo, Gonzalo, Poblacion, and Dulig.

As of writing, Abalos said around 600 chickens were confirmed to have died of the disease or an estimated P120,000 in damages. Deaths in backyard poultry farms were not accounted for.

While both ND and Avian Flu cause high mortality and drastic drop in egg production in poultry farms, Abalos said that ND can only be seen in specific bird species such as chickens, ducks, and quails, but it does not affect humans.

He explained that Avian Flu or Bird Flu has a strain that can infect humans but not Newcastle Disease so no culling operations were done since ND can be contained through vaccination and disinfection.

Vaccination also began on Thursday, March 10.

Abalos believes the migratory birds brought the ND to the area. (Ahikam Pasion)

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