Wild birds and fomites, or objects carrying viruses, could have caused the Philippines’ first-ever outbreak of the H5N2 avian influenza strain, according to an official government report.
The country reported its initial H5N2 outbreak to the World Organization for Animal Health on January 9, stemming from an incident in Camarines Norte last month.
The outbreak reportedly began on November 11, 2024, and was confirmed through laboratory tests by December 6.
The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) publicly announced the outbreak on December 11.
The affected site was a farm in Barangay San Nicolas, Talisay, Camarines Norte, where backyard or grazing ducks were primarily impacted.
The government report indicated that at least 428 ducks were exposed to the virus, with 15 testing positive for H5N2 bird flu.
Surveillance outside the restricted zone of the outbreak has not yet been conducted.
As of Jan. 3, the BAI reported bird flu cases affecting 136 barangays in 53 municipalities across nine provinces in five regions, including Camarines Norte.
Despite concerns, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has assured the public that the outbreak has a low risk of human transmission and is unlikely to impact the domestic prices of eggs and chicken meat.
In related news, the DA recently imposed a temporary ban on poultry imports from New Zealand following confirmation of an H7N6 bird flu outbreak in the country.
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