ORMOC CITY – This city’s local government unit has declared an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in three of its barangays.
This was confirmed by the current officer-in-charge (OIC) of the City Veterinary Office (CVO), Dr. Froiland Sanchez, on July 18, 2024. According to Sanchez, the barangays affected by ASF are Catmon, RM Tan, and Licuma, wherein one pig in each of the said barangay tested positive for the highly contagious and deadly swine disease.
Because of this, the local government imposed preventive measures to contain the new spike of ASF infestation, which include that some pigs in the said barangays will not be released to the slaughterhouse and markets to control the spread of the disease. Moreover, the city’s ASF Task Force has been reactivated, and CVO has coordinated with the local government unit to fully implement the border checkpoints and closely monitor biosecurity measures among hog raisers.
To recall, in 2021, ASF also hit the barangays of Salvacion and Bantigue, which caused the culling of nearly 300 pigs within a 500-meter radius and the implementation of a pork holiday. Accordingly, ASF is a disease that can affect both farm-raised and feral (wild) pigs. However, ASF does not infect people, but it is readily passed from one pig to another by direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected pig. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail July 15-21, 2024 issue)
