South Cotabato, Philippines — Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr. has clarified that the confirmed case of Avian Influenza, or Bird Flu, in the Municipality of Norala is an isolated incident, emphasizing that there is no outbreak and no cause for public concern.
In an official statement, Governor Tamayo reported that the isolated case was detected following routine surveillance and monitoring activities conducted by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The agency collected and tested blood samples from poultry farms in the area, which led to the discovery of a positive case.
“No animal has died so far. We conducted a blood sampling because the Department of Agriculture had a dispersal activity, so we went there, collected blood samples, and found that some tested positive,” Governor Tamayo explained.
The governor said the animals that tested positive were isolated. However, the problem is that the ducks are no longer here—they’ve already been transferred to another province.
Following the confirmation of the positive case, containment measures and surveillance operations were immediately implemented.
“The Provincial Government, through the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian and in coordination with the DA, conducted a series of tests within the affected area to determine the possible extent of infection,” he explained.
Based on the results, both the one-kilometer and seven-kilometer surveillance zones yielded negative findings, confirming that the infection did not spread to nearby areas.
“This means the case is isolated, and there is no cause for concern for the province of South Cotabato,” Governor Tamayo assured.
He further clarified that the infected ducks were brought in from another province and have since been relocated and closely monitored by the DA Regional Office.
The Provincial Government of South Cotabato continues to coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and concerned Local Government Units to ensure that preventive and biosecurity measures are in place.
Authorities are also strengthening monitoring systems across the province to safeguard the local poultry industry and public health.
Governor Tamayo reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to act swiftly and decisively to address potential animal health concerns, ensuring the safety and well-being of residents and local farmers.
