Newcastle disease kills 109,255 chickens in Philippines

Manila: An outbreak of the deadly Newcastle disease has killed tens of thousands of chickens in the Philippines, a senior official said.

A total of 109,255 chickens had died in the northern region as of February 29, said Dr Annie Bares, head of the agriculture department’s field operations division.

The virus has been reported on poultry farms in 25 municipalities in northern Luzon.

The number of cases could further increase as of March, Bares said, adding the virus has already affected farms in 14 municipalities each in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. The disease has also been detected in 17 municipalities in La Union and 20 in Pangasinan.

“We are now controlling the new cases of NCD [Newcastle] virus infection,” Bares said, adding some 11,700 birds, including native chickens and fighting cocks, have received immunisation shots against the disease in the northern region.

It will take weeks for veterinarians to know the results of the immunisation shots that were given to infected birds in northern Luzon, Bares explained.

The agriculture department also sent out 206,000 Newcastle vaccines to other affected local government units nationwide, Bares said, adding, “Our livestock inspectors are helping local government units how to handle the situation.”

In early February 41,000 mostly fighting cocks and range chickens died in central Luzon due to the Newcastle virus, the agriculture department said, adding birds that migrated to the Philippines from winter countries early this year were suspected as Newcastle carriers.

Newcastle attacks the immune system of birds during extreme weather conditions. Symptoms of infection include colds, haemorrhage, paralysis, and weakness. People exposed to Newcastle infected birds could experience mild conjunctivitis and influenza.

Newcastle was first identified in Java, Indonesia, in 1926; in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England in 1927 and in the United States in 1944.

It was also found in imported birds from Southeast Asia and Central America.