First PH case of new bird flu strain detected in Camarines Sur

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) reported on Wednesday the country’s first case of the H5N9-strain bird flu in Camaligan, Camarines Sur.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Department of Agriculture (DA), which has supervision over the BAI, said that tests conducted by the bureau on duck samples came out positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza Type A Subtype H5N9.

According to the DA, the H5N9 flu strain can spread quickly and cause severe conditions among birds, but it “poses low risk to humans” who are not repeatedly exposed to the virus for long periods of time. The H5N9 strain was identified in the United States only in January and found to be a mutation of earlier strains.

The DA has so far identified the H5N1, H5N2 and H5N6 variants as the virus strains affecting local livestock.

Disease control measures

The last avian flu outbreak in the Philippines, involving the H5N2 variant, was reported in January, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health. That outbreak involved 15 out of 428 backyard ducks in Camarines Norte.

The DA said that the BAI immediately endorsed disease control measures in the Bicol Region, such as quarantine, culling, surveillance and coordination with local authorities. They were also working with the Department of Health for any human exposure.

“Moving forward, DA [Regional Field Office V], in close coordination with the BAI and local government units, will implement sustained disease control operations, including surveillance within 1-kilometer and 7-km zones and thorough cleaning and disinfection of affected sites to prevent further spread,” it said.