TACLOBAN CITY — Quarantine officials of the Bureau of Animal Industry in Eastern Visayas are closely monitoring the entry of gamefowl into the region amid rising cases of bird flu in the country.

Dr. Leo Mira, BAI chief in the region, said heightened monitoring and surveillance are in place at all entry points to the region to avert the possible entry of an infected animal or product.

He said only live poultry, other bird species, eggs, poultry products and by-products (except live ducks) that are certified to have originated from areas with no Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Subtype H5N1 are allowed to enter the region.

Last 9 March, quarantine officers detailed at the Daniel Z Romualdez airport confiscated 40 heads of gamefowls from outside the region that were transported without the negative test result for HPAI from authorized veterinary officers in the place of origin.

HPAI-free regions are still required to comply with the other documentary requirements as per DA Administrative Order 5 series of 2019, or the “Guidelines on the Local Transport/Shipment of Animals, Animal Products and by¬ products,” depending on the type of commodity to be transported.

Mira said that confirmed cases of avian flu were reported in Benguet, Kalinga, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon and Sultan Kudarat last year.

The virus reportedly affected ducks, native chickens, commercial chicken layers and broilers, gamefowls, quails, pigeons, pet birds and turkeys.

He said that avian-flu-free regions like Eastern Visayas are required to put in place more stringent quarantine measures to prevent further spread of the dreaded disease in the country.