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The Philippines has no record as of the moment of a human getting infected with avian influenza, the Department of Health said on Friday.
Dr. Alethea De Guzman, director of DOH’s epidemiology bureau, said the country is at Stage 2 of the 4-tier preparedness and response plan. It means the bird flu is currently found in domestic fowls.
“Wala pa tayong ni isang confirmed human avian influenza case and we want to be able to retain that status,” she said in a virtual town hall forum.
Avian influenza is a viral disease that infects wild and domestic birds. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or known as high path is the most severe strains. The strain includes H5N1 virus.
The DOH added that the said strain is lethal to poultry and is potentially fatal in humans.
— Ronald Espartinez