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Antique to conduct random blood sampling vs. avian flu

By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay

March 23, 2022, 5:04 pm

<p><strong>AVIAN FLU</strong>.  The Antique Provincial Veterinary (ProVet) Office will be conducting a blood random sampling among the ducks in the province to find out if they are infected by the avian influenza or bird flu virus. Dr. Marco Rafael Ardamil, head of the ProVet's Public Health Division, said in an interview Wednesday (March 23, 2022) that the ducks and other waterfowl in the province are at risk because of the migratory birds and wild ducks. <em>(Photo courtesy Antique ProVet) </em></p>

AVIAN FLU.  The Antique Provincial Veterinary (ProVet) Office will be conducting a blood random sampling among the ducks in the province to find out if they are infected by the avian influenza or bird flu virus. Dr. Marco Rafael Ardamil, head of the ProVet's Public Health Division, said in an interview Wednesday (March 23, 2022) that the ducks and other waterfowl in the province are at risk because of the migratory birds and wild ducks. (Photo courtesy Antique ProVet) 

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Antique Provincial Veterinary (ProVet) will be conducting random blood sampling among domesticated ducks to find out if they are infected by the avian influenza or bird flu virus.

Dr. Marco Rafael Ardamil, Antique Provincial Veterinary (ProVet) head of Public Health Division, said in an interview Wednesday they will conduct random blood sampling next week among the higher population of domesticated ducks in the towns of Sibalom, Belison, Sebaste, Pandan, and Libertad.

“We will be getting a total of 50 blood samples in the various municipalities as part of our surveillance,” he said.

These blood samples will then be sent to the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Office 6 laboratory for analysis.

Antique, which has 946,153 heads of ducks, chicken and other waterfowl with a value of PHP344.2 million, is at risk of the avian flu because of the migratory white cattle egret and wild ducks that could be carriers of the virus.

“Since the province has a wide rice area the migratory birds and wild ducks are often seen feeding on the farms,” he said.

Farmers, who are raising ducks and other waterfowls, also usually bring their domesticated animals to the farms especially after harvest time because of the snails that are rich sources of nutrients without them knowing that the migratory birds and wild ducks could be infected with the virus.

Ducks in Pampanga and Bulacan had been infected by the avian flu, hence Antique ProVet will conduct random blood sampling among the ducks as a precautionary measure.

Ardamil told local farmers to be watchful of the early signs and symptoms of avian flu so that they could provide interventions such as biosecurity or disinfection of their poultry, isolation or quarantine of their new stocks. He also advised them to report their conditions to the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) or the ProVet for medical treatment.

Bird flu symptoms include depression, dehydration, fever, and other respiratory problems. (PNA) 

 

 

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