Palace orders tight watch against bird flu

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang ordered the government agencies concerned on Saturday to double their efforts to ensure that the A(H1N1) bird flu virus does not enter the country.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Department of Health has already given the assurance that the Philippines was still free from the potentially deadly virus despite reports that cases have been found in neighboring countries.

“The watch has been intensified over products (that might transmit the virus) because there were reports in several other countries of bird flu cases,” Valte said in an interview over government radio. She was referring to live poultry  and other birds as well as poultry products.

“We will watch over the products coming in from other countries that might become carriers of (the virus). We have become stricter in allowing these products to come in. We are alert about this… to prevent their entry to our country,” she added.