Health department on “heightened vigilance” as avian flu reported in 2 Nueva Ecija towns

August 18, 2017

With bird flu cases being reported in Nueva Ecija, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday it is on "heightened vigilance" if it starts becoming a "public health problem".

Department spokesman Eric Tayag said they are increasing vigilance over the possibility of humans may be afflicted with the avian flu virus.

"We are in a state of heightened vigilance because we know the bird flu situation remains an animal health problem," said Tayag.

"We are closely monitoring the poultry farm workers in areas where there is a bird flu outbreak," he added.

Tayag said the health department is ready to deploy its teams once they get information from the Department of Agriculture (DA).

"We are already assembling a team that will be deployed immediately to these farms in San Isidro and Jaen in Nueva Ecija," said Tayag.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol announced bird flu cases have been confirmed in a quail farm in Jaen and a layer farm in San Isidro.

Nueva Ecija is now the second province in the country with confirmed cases of bird flu, after Pampanga. DMS