EXPLAINER: How do bird flu, ASF threaten livestock?

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Bird flu and African swine fever (ASF) remain major threats to the country's poultry and hog industries, posing risks to livestock production, food security and agricultural…

Bird flu and African swine fever (ASF) remain major threats to the country's poultry and hog industries, posing risks to livestock production, food security and agricultural livelihoods.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) continues to monitor the spread of the two diseases and assess their potential impact on the country's agriculture sector.

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a highly contagious disease that affects domestic and wild birds.

The disease is classified into two main groups based on its severity in poultry: low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

Bird flu primarily spreads among birds through direct contact, respiratory droplets and contaminated environments.

In the Philippines, data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed that bird flu had affected 13 provinces across 10 regions as of October 16.

The DA recently banned poultry imports from Minnesota in the United States following confirmed outbreaks of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in at least seven counties.

In 2016, veterinary authorities from the United States and the Philippines agreed that a statewide import ban would be imposed if three or more counties were affected by HPAI.

Meanwhile, the Philippines lifted its import ban on poultry products from Germany and Peru after the two countries were declared free of HPAI.

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