Capitol acts to prevent entry of bird flu strain into Pangasinan
QUARANTINE checkpoints in all the border areas of Pangasinan were back starting July 11 following the fresh outbreak of Avian Influenza or bird flu in some provinces of Luzon, including those in Mindanao, recently.
It was the implementation of Gov. Ramon Guico III’s executive order directing a temporary total ban on the entry of all ducks and spent hens (culls) into the province amid the reported outbreak of Avian Influenza with sub-type H5N1 in the neighboring provinces of Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Benguet, Isabela and others.
Executive Order No. 0103 signed by Guico on June 11, quoted a report of the Department of Agriculture citing the evaluation of outbreak of cases of H5N1 over the last 30 days, the majority of the affected poultry species were ducks and chicken layers.
The Bureau of Animal Industry’s Animal Disease Diagnosis and Reference Laboratory conducted a test of the affected birds using the Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test and these tested positive of the highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza strain, commonly known as Bird Flu.
Guico, in his E.O. stated that following the reported incidents of confirmed cases of Bird Flu, he cited the urgency to prohibit the entry of ducks and spent hens (culls) into the province to safeguard its poultry industry as well as to protect the general public from the ill-effects of the Bird Flu disease.
The E.O. ordered the Provincial Veterinarian and Quarantine Officers to install quarantine checkpoints in all possible entry points of quails and ducks shipped from all regions, such as the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway and other strategic road lines.
Moreover, Guico ordered that farm owners of chicken, turkeys, geese and others type of poultry products to present a certification that the above-mentioned products are free from Avian Influenza and the New Castile Disease for them to be allowed entry into the province.
All mayors were directed by the governor to strengthen bio-security, hygiene and sanitation standards in slaughterhouses/abattoirs, public markets and poultry farms in their respective areas of jurisdiction. (Leonardo Micua/Ahikam Pasion)
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