• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Provincial Veterinary Office is not letting its guard down in monitoring the entry of migratory birds, who may be carriers of avian influenza or bird flu virus, amid the lifting of the ban on poultry and its by-products from affected areas.
Dr. Placeda Lemana, provincial veterinary officer, yesterday said that they are focusing their monitoring in the areas of Sipalay City, which has been identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as a place, where birds from other countries migrate during the winter season, especially from December to February next year.
These migratory birds used to flock to the marshes in the town of San Enrique as well as the cities of Bago and Himamaylan, but they have changed their destination to Sipalay City, Lemana noted.
Although the ban on poultry and its by-products from Visayas, including Panay and Guimaras, had been lifted, Lemana said the ban remains for the areas in Luzon and Mindanao.
The ban is aimed at protecting the P8-billion poultry industry of the province.
Negros Occidental remains free of the bird flu as of this time.
Lemana said that they are also closely monitoring ducks that are believed to be carriers of the bird flu virus. | GB
