The Department of Agriculture (DA) declared the entire province of Bulacan free of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI), particularly the H5N1 strain, two years after a series of infections afflicted local poultry.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel confirmed the AI-free status for the entire province.
Between January 2022 and February 2023, Bulacan recorded H5N1 cases in Baliwag City and the towns of Pulilan, Santa Maria, San Rafael, San Miguel, and San Ildefonso.
The outbreak also affected ducks, quail, native chickens, chicken layers, broiler breeders, and gamefowl.
The province implemented strict cleaning and disinfection protocols in accordance with the AI protocol. Recent surveillance efforts yielded negative results, paving the way for the lifting of the alert.
Previously the DA cleared the Benguet towns of Atok, Buguias, Itogon, La Trinidad, Sablan and Tublay and the City of Baguio from bird flu virus.
The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) continues to monitor 7 provinces afflicted with bird flu. These are the provinces of Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna, Sultan Kudarat, Kalinga, Cagayan and Bataan.
While 66 municipalities across 10 provinces remain afflicted with bird flu, there have been no new confirmed cases of HPAI so far this year.