AUTHORITIES APPRISE SP LU ON NEW SWINE VIRUS
By: Rhea Matilde A. Ballesteros, GPC-SP | Photo By: Mark Andrew G. Sanchez, SP | Date: July 14, 2020
Dr. Rheuel C. Bobis, Head of Infectious Disease Cluster of DOH-CHD 1 enlightens the 22nd Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) on the new virus called G4 EA H1N1 which may have a pandemic potential during the 55th Regular Session of the SP held on July 14, 2020 at the SP Session Hall, City of San Fernando, La Union. He informed that recent studies found that there are no reports of G4 virus spreading from person-to-person and that the spread is only in animal model.
The 22nd Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) headed by Vice-Gov. Mario Eduardo C. Ortega awards a Certificate of Appreciation to Dr. Marlon Mendez, Veterinarian II, Regulatory Division of the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Animal Industry Regional Field Office I during the 55th Regular Session of the SP held on July 14, 2020 at the SP Session Hall, City of San Fernando, La Union. He enlightened the August Body relative to the new swine virus called G4H1N1.
The 22nd Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) headed by Vice-Gov. Mario Eduardo C. Ortega awards the Certificate of Appreciation to Dr. Raquel Difuntorum, Administrative Officer V of the Office of Provincial Veterinarian (OPVet) during the 55th Regular Session of the SP held on July 14, 2020 at the SP Session Hall, City of San Fernando, La Union. She enlightened the August Body on the measures and programs the OPVet has been conducting to prevent the spread of the G4H1N1 in the province.
In response to the request of Ex-officio SPM Geraldine R. Ortega in her Privilege Speech during one of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Regular Sessions, representatives from the Department of Health - Center for Health Development Region I (DOH-CHD1), Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Animal Industry Region I (DA-BAI 1) and Office of the Provincial Veterinarian served as Resource Speakers on the new swine virus called Genotype 4 Reassortant Eurasian H1N1 (G4 EA H1N1) during the 55th Regular Session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on July 14, 2020 at the SP Session Hall, City of San Fernando, La Union.
According to Dr. Rheuel C. Bobis, Head of Infectious Disease Cluster of DOH-CHD1, reports show that the virus has the characteristics for causing infections in people, including the ability to grow well in human lung cells and to spread by “respiratory droplets and direct contact in an animal model. The virus has the “possibility of becoming a pandemic” because it has the essential hallmarks of being highly adapted to infect humans and most people would lack immunity against G4 virus. However, the Center for Disease Control of America said that there are no reports of G4 virus spreading from person-to-person, a characteristic that is required in order for a pandemic to occur, the spread of the virus is only in animal model.
On the animal sector, Dr. Marlon Mendez, Veterinarian II, Regulatory Division of the DA-BAI 1 reaffirmed that according to research and studies, swine flu, in general, is not a significant sickness in pigs because of low mortality or death of pigs. He also informed that there are no reports of transmission to humans and it is not foodborne. Likewise, the said agency has not received any reports of swine flu-related events in the province.
To minimize the scare and prevent the spread of the virus, the DA-BAI has issued an advisory assuring the public that the Philippines does not import swine or pork products from China and met with the Philippine Inter-agency Committee on Zoonoses to prepare the framework for managing emerging diseases that affect animals and humans. Likewise, the agency advised the pig farm stakeholders to review biosafety and biosecurity programs and practices, report unusual pig mortalities to concerned authorities and report to DOH any unusual sickness among farm workers. They have also heightened veterinary quarantine procedures in the port of entry and strengthened coordination with the Bureau of Customs regarding the smuggling of agri-products.
Also present during the said session was Dr. Raquel Difuntorum of the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian who informed the August Body of the measures and programs they are conducting to prevent the virus from entering the province such as information dissemination to the livestock coordinators of the component LGUs, strict implementation of quarantine protocols on the six animal quarantine checkpoints in the province and coordination with the SP for the drafting of an ordinance prohibiting swill feeding of pigs in the province. All inputs and data presented by the resource speakers will be considered by the SP in the drafting of the said ordinance.
