Int’l - Philippines says free of deadly bird flu strain
Published:July 18, 2005
Source :Reuters
The Philippines confirmed on Monday that an outbreak of bird flu on a farm in the north did not involve the deadly H5N1 strain that has killed scores of people elsewhere in Asia and wrecked poultry industries.
Tests conducted by the Australian Animal Health Laboratory on samples taken from a small, isolated farm in the northern Philippines found no active infection but involved another, much weaker strain, the government said.
"The ducks had been exposed to a low pathogenic avian influenza virus but their natural systems apparently eliminated the low-risk flu strain," a joint statement from the departments of agriculture and health said.
The announcement could pave the way for possible resumption of poultry exports to Japan.
The government said last week that initial findings showed ducks found to have bird flu in the northern town of Calumpit, Bulacan province, might not be carrying the H5N1 strain.
The strain has killed more than 50 people in Asia since 2003. More than 140 million chickens have been killed in the region to halt the disease, causing millions of dollars in losses.
But the Philippines has remained free of the strain.
The Department of Agriculture said it planned to seek restoration from world animal health organisations of its bird-flu free status so it can resume exports of poultry products to Japan and other countries.
On July 8, the Philippines announced its first case of bird flu after ducks were found to be infected in a farm in Calumpit, and voluntarily halted imports of poultry products to Japan.
The Philippines is not a big poultry exporter but it has been shipping cargoes to Japan, which banned supplies from Thailand where earlier bird flu outbreaks devastated the poultry industry.
Jose Molina, head of the Bureau of Animal Industry, has said the infection might have come from migratory birds.
He said the ducks came from a farm located near a swamp that is frequented by migratory birds.
Health authorities culled 230 ducks in the affected farm, and set up a quarantine zone in Calumpit. The government said on Monday it would lift the quarantine restrictions.
The Philippines' 150-billion-peso ($2.7-billion) poultry industry employs 300,000 people. ($1 = 56 pesos)
