Quezon province declared free of avian influenza after control measures

LUCENA CITY — Quezon province has regained its bird flu-free status, the Department of Agriculture announced through Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, marking another milestone in the region's disease management efforts.

The declaration comes after provincial authorities implemented comprehensive disease control measures aimed at containing and eliminating avian influenza spread. Subsequent laboratory testing across affected areas returned negative results, satisfying requirements for the province's restoration to disease-free status.

The provincial government's Public Information Office confirmed the secretary's declaration, indicating successful coordination between national and local agricultural agencies in managing the outbreak. The achievement reflects months of surveillance, biosecurity protocols, and monitoring activities undertaken to prevent further transmission of the highly contagious virus.

Quezon joins other regions in the Philippines that have successfully contained avian influenza through rigorous disease control programs. Agriculture officials have urged poultry farmers and producers to maintain heightened biosecurity measures to prevent reintroduction of the virus and protect the province's livestock industry.