Health teams, protective gear sent to bird flu-hit Pampanga: DOH

The DOH has earlier announced that the two poultry farm workers suspected of having bird flu have been tested negative of the disease. (PNA PHOTO)

MANILA— The Department of Health (DOH) has sent additional teams and personal protective equipment (PPEs) to Pampanga province to strengthen the monitoring and management of individuals who have been exposed to the avian flu virus as the culling of infected chickens continues.

“Hanggang may exposure ay ite-test po sila (So long as workers are exposed to infected fowls, they will be tested),” DOH spokesperson, Dr. Eric Tayag, said, adding that doing so would check the transfer of the bird flu virus from chickens to humans.

Tayag said the 8,000 capsules of Oseltamivir delivered to the province are to be administered to those engaged in culling activities as a prophylactic to protect them from the disease, while the PPEs are for hospital staff who may be handling potential bird flu patients.

The health teams will make sure that the hospitals that would receive the medicines and the PPEs know how to use them, he said, adding that they will also see if it is possible to conduct the confirmatory tests in the province for faster results instead of bringing specimens to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

The DOH has earlier announced that the two poultry farm workers suspected of having bird flu have been tested negative of the disease.