TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Another town in Leyte has reported its first case of African swine fever (ASF).
Angel Enriquez, Department of Agriculture (DA)-Eastern Visayas executive director, said ASF was confirmed in Barangay Combis in Dulag after blood samples of a dead pig subjected to definitive polymerase chain reaction diagnostic test yielded positive results.
Dulag is 43.8 kilometers from Abuyog, where the first ASF case in Leyte and Eastern Visayas was confirmed two weeks ago.
Enriquez called on local government units (LGUs) in nearby areas to take preventive measures to stop the spread of the swine disease.
“They should create or reactivate their ASF task force and step up efforts to regulate the movement of pigs, pork and other processed products that go in and out of their municipalities,” she said.
Dulag Mayor Mildred Joy Que and barangay captains in areas within the seven to 10-kilometer radius of the index case in Dulag met yesterday for an orientation by the DA’s ASF task force on how to manage, contain and control the spread of the disease.
Hog raisers and farmers in Dulag were advised to monitor their hogs, report any symptoms of the swine disease to the municipal agriculture office, institute quarantine measures and avoid swill feeding.
Dulag is the fourth town affected by ASF in Leyte after Javier, La Paz and Abuyog.
The DA assured hog raisers of P5,000 in assistance per culled pig aside from the P5,000 indemnity from concerned LGUs.
Negros hog raisers
Meanwhile, Negros hog raisers are against pork importation amid the threat of ASF.
In a meeting with provincial veterinarian Renante Decena and Gov. Eugenio Lacson on Friday, members of the Alliance of Hog Raisers Association said they would stop sending their produce to Manila in a bid to stabilize the price of pork in local markets.
Negros Occidental banned the entry of hogs, boar semen, pork and related items from Eastern Visayas after the Department of Agriculture recorded the first case of ASF in Abuyog, Leyte.
Decena said the provincial government assured hog raisers of support to expand their production.
He said there is enough supply of pork for local consumption in Negros Occidental.
The provincial government put up a swine artificial insemination laboratory in EB Magalona to improve livestock quality and increase the productivity of hog raisers. – Gilbert Bayoran