02 November 2005
Gov’t doc: Don’t hunt, hurt migratory birds
A GOVERNMENT doctor here has called on the public not to disturb or harm migratory birds dropping by their areas as these may force them to mingle with local fowls thus infecting the latter with the reported avian flu virus.
The call was made by Dr. Jesus Canto, chief of the government-owned Region 1 Medical Center in the face of reports that migratory birds swarm in shallow fishponds in the province of Pangasinan in order to eat fish, especially at this time of the year.
The birds include flocks of herons and egrets that forage for food in the form of left-over fish in fishponds just after harvest not only in Dagupan but also in the towns of Binmaley, Lingayen, Sual, Alaminos, Anda, Bolinao and Bani.
“If these birds are the ones coming from Vietnam, China, Thailand and other countries where avian flu had been reported , the best thing for us to do is to stop hunting and eating them,” Canto said.
He said disturbing the birds as they land and look for food might force them to move more inland and in communities where they may come in contact with local birds and fowls, increasing the possibility of infection and contamination.
The Provincial Health Office and rural health units have been urged to contact local government units in places which these migratory birds are known to frequent seasonally so that they can alert their citizens not to harm these birds, he added.
Canto assured however that there is nothing to worry yet because the H5NI virus being carried by the migratory birds has not yet been fully proven to be harmful to humans at this stage.
This only becomes harmful, he added, when the H5NI virus comes in contact with the local influenza virus, in which case it could mutate to become a virus that is harmful to human.
Canto admitted that this early, the R1MC is already making preparation for the possible onslaught of the avian flu in the Philippines on a worst case scenario.
He revealed that they are making initial coordination with the Contagious Disease
Control Center in Chicago U.S.A., including the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) here in the country to seek information on where they can buy prophylaxis or medicines with which to treat avian flu.
He said he was informed that they had developed a vaccine in the U.S. but this is costly and may not be available on quick notice.
The call was made by Dr. Jesus Canto, chief of the government-owned Region 1 Medical Center in the face of reports that migratory birds swarm in shallow fishponds in the province of Pangasinan in order to eat fish, especially at this time of the year.
The birds include flocks of herons and egrets that forage for food in the form of left-over fish in fishponds just after harvest not only in Dagupan but also in the towns of Binmaley, Lingayen, Sual, Alaminos, Anda, Bolinao and Bani.
“If these birds are the ones coming from Vietnam, China, Thailand and other countries where avian flu had been reported , the best thing for us to do is to stop hunting and eating them,” Canto said.
He said disturbing the birds as they land and look for food might force them to move more inland and in communities where they may come in contact with local birds and fowls, increasing the possibility of infection and contamination.
The Provincial Health Office and rural health units have been urged to contact local government units in places which these migratory birds are known to frequent seasonally so that they can alert their citizens not to harm these birds, he added.
Canto assured however that there is nothing to worry yet because the H5NI virus being carried by the migratory birds has not yet been fully proven to be harmful to humans at this stage.
This only becomes harmful, he added, when the H5NI virus comes in contact with the local influenza virus, in which case it could mutate to become a virus that is harmful to human.
Canto admitted that this early, the R1MC is already making preparation for the possible onslaught of the avian flu in the Philippines on a worst case scenario.
He revealed that they are making initial coordination with the Contagious Disease
Control Center in Chicago U.S.A., including the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) here in the country to seek information on where they can buy prophylaxis or medicines with which to treat avian flu.
He said he was informed that they had developed a vaccine in the U.S. but this is costly and may not be available on quick notice.
