The Department of Agriculture has declared the province of Benguet free from avian influenza, two years after the initial case of the H5N1 strain infection was confirmed through laboratory testing.

Initial cases of the H5N1 strain infections were detected in various fowls, including layer and native chickens, ducks, turkey and goose, between February and September 2022 in the City of Baguio and the towns of Atok, Buguias, Itogon, La Trinidad, Sablan and Tublay.

Immediate depopulation, cleaning and disinfection, mobility restrictions and surveillance in areas surrounding affected farms including stricter biosecurity that soon yielded ‘negative’ results led to DA’s decision to declare Benguet free from the dreaded avian disease. 

To date, the number of provinces listed by the Bureau of Animal Industry with confirmed cases and which have not yet recovered their AI-free status has gone down to 9.

As of February 9, BAI said 66 municipalities in 10 provinces are affected by bird flu. There has been no reported cases of HPAI since the start of 2024.###