MHSC
Senior Moderator
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Avian flu alert up as migratory birds arrive
By Ben O. Tesiorna
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = 'pub-2836569479021745'; google_ad_width = '250'; google_ad_height = '250'; google_ad_format = '250x250_as'; google_ad_type = 'text_image'; google_ad_channel = '7168540608'; google_color_border = 'FFFFFF'; google_color_bg = 'FFFFFF'; google_color_link = '0000FF'; google_color_url = '0000FF'; google_color_text = '000000'; //--></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-2836569479021745&dt=1163014676531&lmt=1162916808&prev_fmts=468x60_as%2C468x15_0ads_al_s&format=250x250_as&output=html&channel=7168540608&pv_ch=7168540608%2B&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sunstar.com.ph%2Fstatic%2Fdav%2F2006%2F11%2F08%2Fnews%2Favian.flu.alert.up.as.migratory.birds.arrive.html&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=000000&color_link=0000FF&color_url=0000FF&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2Fnews%3Fq%3Dbird%2520flu%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwn&cc=87&u_h=768&u_w=1024&u_ah=734&u_aw=1024&u_cd=32&u_tz=-300&u_his=10&u_java=true&u_nplug=26&u_nmime=107" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="250"></iframe>
THE government has alerted the public anew on the dangers of the bird flu virus as migratory birds are expected to arrive in the Philippines starting this month.
In a press conference Monday, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Southern Mindanao Director Ricardo Calderon said the country remains to be "bird flu virus free."
He added that the threat from possible infection coming from the migratory birds is however imminent.
It is for this reason, Calderon said, that they have intensified the information campaign down to the barangay level about the dreaded virus that has already affected several Asian countries.
Authorities have already identified 55 areas all over the country that are frequented by migratory birds from September to March. Three of the areas are in Davao Region -- Banaybanay in Davao Oriental, Carmen in Davao del Norte, and Malalag in Davao del Sur.
Calderon said they are now making preventive measures to ensure that bird-flu infected migratory birds could not infect local avians.
Among the measures that must be taken are:
* Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling live and dressed chicken;
* Cook chicken thoroughly;
* Do not sell live chickens and other birds in the market while there is a threat of bird flu;
* Do not let chickens roam freely. Keep them in cages or pens;
* Do not place chicken, ducks and pigs together in one area, cage or pen;
* Do not catch, get near or keep in captivity wild birds;
* Report to the nearest agricultural/veterinary office any unusual death or illness of chickens and other birds;
* Report to the nearest local health centers any case of respiratory illness with history of exposure to sick or dead chickens and other birds.
Possible symptoms of bird-flu infected avian are swelling of the legs, ruffled feathers, their crown and wattle turn purple, sneezing, cough, nasal discharge, fever, weakness, diarrhea, lost of appetite, excessive thirst and sudden death.
The virus is transmittable to humans by having direct contact with discharges from infected birds especially feces and respiratory secretion; contaminated feeds, water, cages, equipment and clothing; and broken contaminated eggs.
Humans infected with the virus usually have fever, body weakness or muscle pain, cough, sore throat, sore eyes, and difficulty in breathing.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/da...n.flu.alert.up.as.migratory.birds.arrive.html
Avian flu alert up as migratory birds arrive
By Ben O. Tesiorna
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = 'pub-2836569479021745'; google_ad_width = '250'; google_ad_height = '250'; google_ad_format = '250x250_as'; google_ad_type = 'text_image'; google_ad_channel = '7168540608'; google_color_border = 'FFFFFF'; google_color_bg = 'FFFFFF'; google_color_link = '0000FF'; google_color_url = '0000FF'; google_color_text = '000000'; //--></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-2836569479021745&dt=1163014676531&lmt=1162916808&prev_fmts=468x60_as%2C468x15_0ads_al_s&format=250x250_as&output=html&channel=7168540608&pv_ch=7168540608%2B&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sunstar.com.ph%2Fstatic%2Fdav%2F2006%2F11%2F08%2Fnews%2Favian.flu.alert.up.as.migratory.birds.arrive.html&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=000000&color_link=0000FF&color_url=0000FF&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2Fnews%3Fq%3Dbird%2520flu%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwn&cc=87&u_h=768&u_w=1024&u_ah=734&u_aw=1024&u_cd=32&u_tz=-300&u_his=10&u_java=true&u_nplug=26&u_nmime=107" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="250"></iframe>
THE government has alerted the public anew on the dangers of the bird flu virus as migratory birds are expected to arrive in the Philippines starting this month.
In a press conference Monday, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Southern Mindanao Director Ricardo Calderon said the country remains to be "bird flu virus free."
He added that the threat from possible infection coming from the migratory birds is however imminent.
It is for this reason, Calderon said, that they have intensified the information campaign down to the barangay level about the dreaded virus that has already affected several Asian countries.
Authorities have already identified 55 areas all over the country that are frequented by migratory birds from September to March. Three of the areas are in Davao Region -- Banaybanay in Davao Oriental, Carmen in Davao del Norte, and Malalag in Davao del Sur.
Calderon said they are now making preventive measures to ensure that bird-flu infected migratory birds could not infect local avians.
Among the measures that must be taken are:
* Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling live and dressed chicken;
* Cook chicken thoroughly;
* Do not sell live chickens and other birds in the market while there is a threat of bird flu;
* Do not let chickens roam freely. Keep them in cages or pens;
* Do not place chicken, ducks and pigs together in one area, cage or pen;
* Do not catch, get near or keep in captivity wild birds;
* Report to the nearest agricultural/veterinary office any unusual death or illness of chickens and other birds;
* Report to the nearest local health centers any case of respiratory illness with history of exposure to sick or dead chickens and other birds.
Possible symptoms of bird-flu infected avian are swelling of the legs, ruffled feathers, their crown and wattle turn purple, sneezing, cough, nasal discharge, fever, weakness, diarrhea, lost of appetite, excessive thirst and sudden death.
The virus is transmittable to humans by having direct contact with discharges from infected birds especially feces and respiratory secretion; contaminated feeds, water, cages, equipment and clothing; and broken contaminated eggs.
Humans infected with the virus usually have fever, body weakness or muscle pain, cough, sore throat, sore eyes, and difficulty in breathing.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/da...n.flu.alert.up.as.migratory.birds.arrive.html