The Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), on Wednesday confirmed the country’s first case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Type A Subtype H5N9 in Camaligan, Camarines Sur. Detected in duck samples during routine surveillance by DA Regional Field Office (RFO) in Bicol on 30 April, the virus marks a new strain not previously found in the Philippines.
While the DA emphasized that H5N9 poses low risk to humans, the discovery has triggered immediate containment measures. These include quarantine, culling, intensified surveillance, and coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and local authorities. Affected farms have undergone disposal procedures and disinfection, with extended monitoring planned in surrounding zones.
The BAI’s detection underscores ongoing avian influenza challenges, with four regions and 137 barangays still reporting active cases as of 25 April. Camarines Sur had been bird flu-free since June 2022 following an H5N1 outbreak, but the emergence of H5N9 now prompts renewed vigilance and policy enforcement across regional and national levels.
