In an interview, Macapagal said classes in Barangay San Carlos, the “ground zero” for avian fl u in this town, resumed yesterday after being suspended for several days arising from foul smell from the hundreds of thousands of chickens culled and buried at the affected poultries in the area.
Macapagal also said he has not received any report of any ailment among this constituents that could be related to avian flu.
Dr. Arlene Vytiaco, head of the animal disease control unit of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said that confirmatory results of a study being done by a laboratory in Australia on the N1 strain of the avian flu virus, which could be transmitted to humans, was expected to arrive today.
“Things are better now than before. The bad smell is gone and the kids in San Carlos are back to school after barangay officials asked that their classes be suspended when there was foul smell,” the mayor said.
Macapagal said the government has provided an assistance of P5,000 each to some 20 workers in the affected poultry in San Carlos and nearby Sta. Rita, both regarded as ground zero for the avian flu case in this town.
“This assistance was provided because the affected poultries will still have to be cleaned and disinfected, and other such requirements that would take about three months before poultry operations could resume,” he noted.
Macapagal also said he has been informed that Pres. Duterte would visit local folk affected by the avian flu plague and turn over to him some P20.7 million as compensation for the owners of the poultries. The government earlier offered them P80 per head of chicken culled.
\
