The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said Wednesday that the bird flu outbreak in the country is under control.

In a press briefing, BAI Assistant Director Arlene Vytiaco said chickens in Sta. Maria, Bulacan caught the H1N1 strain of bird flu and over 17,000 had to be culled.

She said the chickens may have been infected by migratory birds since it is their migration season.

“It’s the migration period of the birds now, so that could be a factor especially since (Bulacan) is near Pampanga, which is where migratory birds are,” Vytiaco said.

“The outbreaks are depopulated. If there is a case, we do culling and a 1 km surveillance, then a 7 km surveillance. In Ilocos Sur, the outbreak isn’t resolved yet because the surveillance there isn’t finished yet due to the resistance from farmers,” she added.

Although it is possible for humans to be infected with bird flu, no active cases have been recorded so far, Vytiaco told reporters.

Vytiaco said outbreaks in six poultry farms in the Philippines have been managed.

She also assured the public that egg and chicken supplies will not be affected.

“There is no significant effect. It’s very insignificant based on the volume or the number of chickens affect. So it wouldn’t cause much of a dent. What’s important is that we have contained the disease,” she said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS