Geography keep Philippines free of bird flu

In October, Health Secretary Francisco Duque warned that it was "only a matter of time" before bird flu reached the Philippines. But thanks partly to geography to keep domestic poultry away from migratory birds, the country has so far remained free of the virus that has killed 71 people in Asia and ravaged chicken and duck farms. Dr. Jean-Marc Olive, the World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in the Philippines, said lower numbers of chickens on local farms compared with those in China, Thailand and Vietnam reduced the risk of infection.

"I think it's mainly because of the geography," Olive said, adding the isolation of the Philippines, composed of 7,100 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, had enabled it to escape the virus that continues to spread in other areas in Asia. "What I understand from the situation here is that only ducks fly to the Philippines," he added. "There are no swans or geese flying over the Philippines ... unlike in Russia or Europe." Health experts have identified ducks, geese and swans as the main carriers of avian influenza among migratory birds. Despite its luck to date, the Philippines will have to stay vigilant now that the virus has spread to Indonesia, its southern neighbour across the Sulawesi Sea.