DA: Cagayan province now avian influenza-free

MANILA – The province of Cagayan is now free from avian influenza (AI), the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thursday.

The DA said the declaration under Memorandum Circular No. 46 was signed on Nov. 4, following over three months of stringent monitoring and surveillance in the province.

Over the said period, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) yielded negative results for avian influenza tests within the 1-kilometer to 7-kilometer surveillance zones.

"It is also our duty to protect the local poultry industry, which creates millions of jobs and generates billions in investments," DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement.

The last AI case in the province was previously reported in game fowls in Solana last Jan. 26, 2023.

Tiu Laurel likewise underscored the need to sustain supply stability and food safety nationwide.

"Our goal is to ensure the country has enough supply of food that is not only affordable but safe for public consumption," he said.

Cagayan Valley, which is along the bird migration path, includes provinces that produce poultry products, accounting for almost 10 percent of the national poultry production.

These provinces include Batanes, Isabel, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. (PNA)