MORE NEWS, ILOCOS SUR

Ilocos provs free of bird flu
BY FREDDIE G. LAZARO

VIGAN CITY -- The Dept. of Agriculture has intensified a program for public preparedness and awareness to maintain the bird flu-free status of the four provinces in Ilocos of the dreaded disease.

This developed after a seminar-workshop was held here for members of the Ilocos Sur Provincial Anti-Avian Influenza Task Force in anticipation of a possible outbreak of bird flu with migratory birds as the carrier of the virus.

A similar seminar-workshop was also held in Pangasinan, La Union, and Ilocos Norte. Ilocos Sur Gov. Deogracias Victor "DV" B. Savellano, chairman of the Ilocos Sur Anti-Avian Influenza Task Force, said there’s a need to prepare the members if the task force as well as the general public for the possible outbreak and spread of the bird flu virus. "Our country remains free from the dreaded highly pathogenic avian influenza virus or bird flu up to this time.

Aside from our continuous vigilance and efforts to keep our nation free from bird flu, we need to step up or double our preparedness and efforts in anticipation of the spread of the disease worldwide," Savellano said. Dr Annie Q. Bares, regional avian influenza coordinator of the Department of Agriculture in Ilocos Region, said during the seminar that the members of the task force were oriented on the monitoring strategies and precautionary measures in case of an outbreak of bird flu in the region.

"This activity is one of the initiatives of the national government in keeping the Philippines bird flu-free. The avian-influenza task force will be institutionally mobilized in case there’s an outbreak of bird flu in the region," she said. "The bird flu disease remains a threat in the region, considering that our country is surrounded by the bird flu-affected countries," she said.

The avian-influenza virus is dreaded because it can infect human. From 2003 to 2007, it was reported that three continents -- Asia, Africa and Europe that consist of 60 countries, were infected by the bird-flu virus. It was also reported that 393 persons were recorded downed by the disease. Out of 393, a total of 210 had died. Some 250 million domesticated birds infected by the bird-flu virus and valued at billion had been condemned and disposed of worldwide.

At present, Bares said, the Philippines is one of only three countries in South East Asia that have not been infected by the bird-flu virus. The other two countries are Brunei and Singapore. Bares said there were 66 recorded species of migratory birds that came to the country during the months of from October to March in 2003-2007.