According to a press release from the Philippines' Department of Agriculture (DA-BAI), municipal veterinary personnel and farm owners have acted swiftly to contain an outbreak of avian influenza that was detected on a duck farm in Baliuag, Bulacan, and quail farms in Candaba and Mexico, Pampanga.

“We immediately carried out the needed protocol to effectively contain avian influenza that was detected in ducks and quails in Baliuag, Bulacan, and Candaba and Mexico in Pampanga — aimed mainly at preventing it from spreading to other areas,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

The DA-BAI confirmed the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 strain through its Animal Disease Diagnosis and Reference Laboratory (BAI-ADDRL) using a real-time PCR.

DA-BAI Director Reildrin Morales said they are continuously conducting surveillance activities on all poultry species, and that there is no reported occurrence of said disease in chickens and turkeys.

He said the disease was first detected on 6 January 2022, from a duck farm, in Barangay Barangka, Baliuag, Bulacan, through routine surveillance activities implemented by DA-BAI as part of its early warning system.

The second was reported on 21 January from two commercial quail farms, in Brgy. Dalayap, Candaba, Pampanga; and on 27 January, from a quail farm, in Brgy. Mangga, Candaba, Pampanga.

The third case was reported on 11 February, from two adjacent quail farms in Brgy. San Antonio, Mexico, Pampanga.