This came after a nationwide alert was declared by the Department of Health (DoH) on the possible entry of the dreaded bird flu virus in the country.

Health authorities said the people must be always vigilant, especially those living in wetlands.

Health officials in the Caraga Region said the "bird flu alert" was issued to check the threat of the disease in the wake of World Health Organization (WHO) reports that some foreign countries have noted cases of bird-flu infection.

However, health authorities said that the Philippines is still bird-flu free. "But we need to let our people know, especially those in the wetland areas, what the disease is all about so they would understand and help in our prevention efforts," a regional heath official said.

The bird flu or avian Influenza (AI) is an infectious disease that could be mild or acute. It is fatal to infected chickens, ducks and birds, and it can also kill people.

The disease is characterized by the fowl’s loss of appetite, drastic drop in egg production, ruffled feathers, facial swelling, and bluish-violet colored combs and wattles as well as the presence of signs of severe respiratory diseases, such as sneezing, cough and nasal discharges, diarrhea, hemorrhages in internal organs and swollen legs.

It is also transmitted through direct contact with discharges from infected birds, especially feces and respiratory secretions, contaminated food, water, cages, equipment, vehicles and clothing of people tending the birds.

Epidemiologists are focusing their monitoring of the migrant birds in the following areas of the region:

Sinacaban and Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental; Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte; Opol, El Salvador, Alubijid, and Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental; and Maramag and Lake Pinamaloy, Bukidnon; and Agusan marsh, Agusan del Sur.