News Details

DA Restores Bird Flu-Free Status in Camarines Sur

NPO

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September 12, 2025

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has officially declared Camarines Sur free from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, after months of strict containment and surveillance measures.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Memorandum Circular No. 27 restoring the province’s bird flu-free status, consistent with World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) guidelines.

“This is in accordance with international protocols that allow an area to regain its status 28 days after a stamping-out operation, thorough disinfection, and the absence of new cases,” Laurel explained in a statement.

The DA regional office, working with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and local government units, carried out intensive measures including depopulation, disinfection, movement restrictions, and surveillance to curb the spread of the virus.

The last case of H5N9 was detected in April at a backyard farm in Camaligan, following earlier H5N1 cases reported in 2022.

Laurel, however, cautioned that the bird flu-free status could be immediately withdrawn if fresh cases arise.

As of September 5, the BAI reported that 138 barangays across 53 cities and municipalities in NCR, CAR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Bicol remain affected by avian influenza.

—NPO News Online | PNA-PR