The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday said the number of hogs culled by the government has now reached 20,000 heads after new outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) were confirmed in Bulacan and Pangasinan.
The latest figures reflect increase of 5,000 heads from the 15,000 total pigs culled by the government as disclosed by the DA in its previous update on the outbreaks last week.
The DA said there are now more than 13 ASF outbreaks in the country including additional cases in Pangasinan, Bulacan and Pampanga.
The DA added that they are now cordoning and quarantining additional areas in Bulacan and Pampanga to control and contain the spread of the fatal hog disease.
The DA vowed to name the additional areas next week once the government completes the necessary quarantine measures.
The DA said only a third of the 20,000 pigs or about 6,600 heads were infected with ASF, while the remaining two-thirds were culled as part of government control measures.
Pangasinan’s case
IN a Facebook post on Sunday, Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino III disclosed that some of the 60 seized illegally transported hogs in Pangasinan tested positive for ASF.
Espino explained that the 60 hogs were transported to Pangasinan from Bulacan by illegal hog traders and were brought to their holding area, or kubol-kubol, owned by the traders which had 11 pigs.
Espino has ordered the implementation of the 1-7-10 protocol from the holding area to ensure that the ASF virus from the infected hogs would not spread to nearby farms. The total 71 pigs owned by traders were already culled and buried.
Espino pointed out that the ASF has not affected, yet, backyard farms in Pangasinan after some of the hogs within the 1-kilometer radius that were culled were negative for the fatal animal disease.
The
DA said the government has culled about 1,000 pigs in Pangasinan and disclosed
that there’s no confirmed ASF case in backyard farms in the area except for the
illegally transported hogs.
The DA commended the provincial government of Pangasinan for implementing the 1-7-10 protocol to preempt and prevent the spread of ASF.
Under the 1-7-10 protocol, the government would cull all pigs within the 1-kilometer radius of the suspected farm while movement of pork and pork products within the 7 kilometers would be limited.
The government would conduct surveillance and monitoring within the 10-kilometer radius of the suspected premises.
The Philippines have confirmed ASF outbreaks in four provinces, namely in Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan and Rizal. The ASF outbreaks as disclosed by the DA are in Rodriguez, Rizal (Barangays San Isidro, San Jose, Macabud, Geronimo, San Rafael, Mascap, San Mateo Slaughterhouse), Antipolo (Barangays Cupang and another new area), Quezon City (Barangays Silangan and Payatas) and Guiguinto, Bulacan.
Image credits: Provincial Veterinary Office of Pangasinan