• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The African swine fever (ASF) local task force intercepted 14 hogs from Cebu in Escalante City, Negros Occidental on Monday.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that the hogs were immediately sent back to Cebu.
The province of Negros Occidental, except the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, bans the entry of live pigs, pork and its related products from Negros Oriental, Cebu, Panay, Luzon and Mindanao, into the province.
The resurgence of the ASF outbreak in Valencia, Negros Oriental, also prompted the provincial government of Negros Occidental to double its alert in various ASF checkpoints such as in Hinobaan, La Castellana, Kabankalan City, and San Carlos City.
Authorities are conducting tests on blood samples of hogs in Negros Oriental towns and cities following the outbreak of ASF in Valencia recently.
Alejandro Rafal, head of the Department of Agriculture-Provincial Agriculture Technology Coordinating Office, said that his office received reports of supposed ASF cases.
“Confirmatory tests have to be done to ascertain if there is ASF resurgence outside of Valencia,” he added.
As of Aug. 9, the Provincial Veterinary Office reported that no new ASF cases in Valencia were reported following culling operations of nearly 200 hogs in Barangay West Balabag.
Rafal said there is a need for strengthened bio-security measures in the towns and cities to prevent the further spread of ASF.
He blamed the resurgence of cases on the lack of monitoring and regular blood sample testing of hogs.
The movement of hogs and pork from one area to another without certification from local government units is a factor for the spread of ASF even as he urged raisers to stop the practice of swill feeding. | GB with reports from PNA
