Chicken and other poultry products sold in Western Visayas during Christmas holidays are safe to consume because the region, like the rest of the country, is free from bird flu threats, a Department of Agriculture 6 veterinarian said.

Dr. Jonic Natividad, regional verinary quarantine officer of the Department of Agriculture 6, said that in Western Visayas, all  blood samples collected from identified areas and  examined showed  negative results.

He said the DA, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and local government units in the region are working closely in conducting information and education campaign on the bird flu virus and the ways to avoid it.

Be vigilant all the time, he told the public.

Negros Island, for its part, is considered by the Bureau of Animal Industry as not a critical area for bird flu contamination.

However, the BAI had also advised the public to always be on the look out for migratory birds and those smuggled into the country.

Last year, several areas in Capiz were suspected to be at risk of bird flu because it is identified as part of the migratory path of birds coming from other Asian countries.

But the DA 6 had declared then that there was no sign of avian flu virus nor death of birds or poultry in the area caused by the disease.  

The agriculture department, under its Avian Influenza Protection Program, continues to ban the importation of all live domestic and wild poultry and all poultry products from avian influenza affected countries.*NLG

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