• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office has reported 2,130 hog deaths in 13 local government units as of June 30 as African swine fever (ASF) cases further spread to Negros Oriental and highly-urbanized Bacolod City.
Dr. Placeda Lemana, provincial veterinarian, however, said the number represents only 0.65 percent of the 329,531 hog population in Negros Occidental, based on figures of the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Lemana stressed that not all reported hog deaths were necessarily caused by ASF or hog cholera since many animals were buried immediately without undergoing laboratory examination.
Some of the reported losses involved hogs that were slaughtered and sold by raisers before they succumbed to illness, allowing farmers to minimize financial losses while preventing the possible spread of the disease.
Lemana clarified that ASF has so far been laboratory-confirmed only in the municipality of San Enrique.
Despite the relatively low mortality rate, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson warned against complacency.
“While less than one percent of the province’s hog population has been lost, we should not let our guard down. Biosecurity measures must continue because ASF will not easily disappear. Once it is present, it tends to remain,” Lacson said.
Negros Oriental and Bacolod City have been added to the list of areas in Negros Island Region hit by ASF.
Lemana said the provincial government remains focused on preventing the entry and spread of ASF through inter-provincial checkpoints and ports while municipal and city governments are implementing their own intra-provincial quarantine protocols, based on the guidelines issued by the governor.
As she welcomed the increasing number of LGUs implementing strict disease control measures, Lemana said early reporting and immediate detection are critical in containing the spread of ASF.
She discouraged the improper disposal of dead hogs, following the discovery of a floating pig at the Bago River.
Virus or bacteria easily spread through water, she added. | GPB
