THE Provincial Veterinary (PVET) office of South Cotabato has appealed to the public to be “extra cautious” following the detection of the avian influenza (AI) virus in a commercial poultry farm in the municipality of Tantangan.

Dr. Flora Bigot, PVET chief, warned that the AI virus that hit the chicken farm in the village of Magon, Tantangan since last week can be transmissible to humans.

South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said at least 81,000 chickens worth P35 million were depopulated in the poultry farm that he declined to identify.

Bigot said the bird flu virus can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with chicken, eating half cooked meat or eggs of infected fowl, or when the virus is inhaled.

“The AI is also a threat to our poultry industry as it is highly contagious in birds, chicken, ducks, quails and other fowl families,” Bigot said.

The PVET is currently conducting surveillance within the seven-kilometer radius and one-kilometer quarantine area of the index case.

“As of now, aside from coronavirus disease 2019, we are also threatened by avian influenza,” Bigot said.

She also called on the public to report to their office the unusual deaths in chickens and other poultry animals for them to conduct blood samples and verify if the virus is present.