MANILA, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- The strain of bird flu found on poultry farms in the Philippines has been identified as H5N6, the type which could potentially be transmitted to humans, the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Thursday.
Arlene Vytiaco, head of the Animal Disease Control Section of the DA's Bureau of Animal Industry, told a news conference that samples sent to Australia for testing showed that the strain was positive for the H5N6 strain.
She said the strain is very dangerous for bird life and could potentially affect humans although the risk of transmission is "very, very low."
Since the strain was detected in 2013, Vytiaco said only 20 people have been infected.
The Philippines reported on Aug. 11 its first outbreak of bird flu in poultry farms in Pampanga, a province on the main Luzon island north of Manila. A few days later, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol announced that bird flu has also been found at another poultry farms in nearby Nueva Ecija province just north of Pampanga.
The government has ordered the culling of more than 400,000 infected chickens, quails and ducks in the affected provinces.
Tests were conducted on poultry farm workers but so far none has been ill with flu. The Department of Health said there are no reported cases of animal-to-human transmissions.
