‘Tarlac FMD cases confined to one farm’

The provincial veterinarian of Tarlac has clarified that foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) cases monitored in the province were confined to only one farm in Concepcion town.

"We confirmed the FMD outbreak in that farm on Jan. 7. We wasted no time and implemented massive vaccination and treatment, thus effectively controlling FMD in the said farm. Clearance was, in fact, issued to the farm last Feb. 15," said Dr. Lorna Baculanta, provincial veterinarian, in a letter to The STAR.

Baculanta stressed that the 4,000 hogs found to be FMD-infected and the 686 hogs that were killed were all confined to that Concepcion farm.

She said her office put up animal quarantine checkpoints manned by livestock inspectors in Concepcion to prevent the spread of the FMD virus.

Based on their assessment, Baculanta traced the FMD infection to the Concepcion slaughterhouse and viajeros from nearby provinces, particularly Bulacan and Nueva Ecija.

"As an immediate course of action, we implemented disinfection operations not only in the Concepcion slaughterhouse but in other slaughterhouses in the province as well," she added.

She said her office continues to monitor FMD and other diseases affecting swine, poultry and other animals province-wide.

"There is no current FMD outbreak in Tarlac," Baculanta said.