Malacanang assured the public there will be “no price increase” in chicken meat after cases of Avian Influenza was confirmed in the province of Pampanga, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Sunday.

Abella said the government will make sure that no contaminated meat will be sold in the markets.

The Department of Agriculture said in a press conference last Friday poultry farms in San Carlos and Sta. Rita villages in San Luis, Pampanga are affected by the flu.

Arlene Vytiaco, head of animal disease and control section of the Bureau of Animal Industry said in an interview with DZBB over 85,000 from the targeted 200,000 poultry were culled in San Carlos Pampanga on Sunday.

She said eggs and equipment exposed to the poultry will be buried and the farms will be disinfected.

Vytiaco said they did not monitor any cases of human with flu like symptoms.

“At this point in time we cannot say that it is contagious to humans but we are taking all precautionary measures to prevent if prevent the infection”, she said.

Vytiaco said there are 12 checkpoints inside the one kilometer quarantine area and seven kilometer control area to prevent the shipment of poultry products to the other cities.

“We are closely watching the quality and the price of poultry products in the markets as the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced the culling of thousands of chicken in Pampanga”, Abella said.

“Concerned government agencies are now looking at businesses that might take advantage of the situation and are monitoring the price of raw and processed chicken meat in the markets” he added.

“We believe DA has acted fast on the issue and has managed to isolate and contain the virus”, Abella said. Alanna Ambi/DMS