ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The spread of African swine fever (ASF) in this city has been contained, the city veterinary office reported yesterday.
City veterinarian Mario Ariola said the lockdown and quarantine of affected areas had been effective in controlling the spread of the swine disease, whch were detected in five barangays last month.
He said the ASF task force culled more than 300 infected pigs in coordination with affected hog farmers.
“We have established checkpoints and enforced the quarantine within the one-kilometer-radius zone in all identified sites and within the 500-meter-radius is the kill zone,” Ariola said.
He said decontamination is ongoing, adding that monitoring would continue in the next 180 days to ensure that affected areas are cleared of the virus.
Ariola said affected hog raisers would receive assistance from the city social welfare and disaster risk reduction and management office.