Mindanaotoday.com | DA-10, LGU beef up measures to contain ASF in Camiguin
By Jigger Jerusalem
CAGAYAN DE ORO – Camiguin has confirmed the African Swine Fever (ASF) has entered the island-province as the provincial government reported Wednesday, July 6, some pigs in several villages were infected with the virus.
Gov. Xavier Jesus Romualdo said test results conducted by the Department of Agriculture Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (DA-RADDL) on the blood samples taken from pigs of backyard raisers in barangays Soro-Soro, Balbagon, and Poblacion, all in Mambajao town, have ascertained the presence of ASF.
“Unfortunately, the [ASF] virus was detected in samples from these three barangays,” he said.
Romualdo said ASF was also reported in Barangay Pandan on July 2.
He added that prior to that, 14 pigs have already died in the same village as early as June 22, prompting authorities to conduct an investigation.
On June 28, 18 blood samples were taken from Pandan and set to the RADDL, eight of which tested positive for ASF.
Carlene Collado, Department of Agriculture-10 regional executive director, said that coordination and ground activities to contain the disease were conducted with the Regional ASF Task Force and the local governments of Camiguin and Mambajao.
“Biosecurity measures should be strengthened on the remaining GREEN ZONE AREAS in the said province. Rest assured that the Regional ASF Task Force, concerned LGUs, private stakeholders are doing their best to isolate, eliminate and compensate, manage, contain and control this viral disease,” Collado said.
To control the spread of the virus, the governor said depopulation will be conducted in the infected villages and all areas within 500 meters of the ASF-positive zone.
“Thus, the provincial government requests for the full cooperation of those affected by the depopulation measures to be conducted,” Romualdo said.
He said the provincial government also issued Executive Directive No. 2 ordering all municipal mayors of the province to prohibit the transportation and movement of pigs and locally produced pork and pork products outside of each municipality, effective July 2, 2022.
Likewise, the conduct of swine treatment, artificial insemination, boar services, and other related services and activities by animal feed producers, animal health or pharmaceutical companies, and hog farmers or raisers, including their agents and employees, are temporarily prohibited under Executive Directive No. 3 dated July 4, 2022, the order added.
“All persons in the province who are raising pigs are requested not to engage in swill feeding or the feeding of food scraps to pigs and adopt appropriate biosecurity measures,” Romualdo said.
Pig raisers in the province in areas with no confirmed ASF cases are also highly encouraged to obtain livestock insurance from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, he added.
PVO will conduct an inspection of the area where the hog is raised to check if there are ASF symptoms existing in the area, he said.
Dr. Lordgin Gamo, the provincial veterinarian, said residents who want to slaughter their pigs must comply with requirements from the PVO.
“When they go to the slaughterhouse, they will bring the certificate showing that they were already inspected by PVO. When they reach the slaughterhouse, they will be inspected again, there will be an antemortem inspection in the slaughterhouse before the hog will be slaughtered. After slaughtering, there will be a post mortem inspection,” Gamo said.
Based on the PVO’s investigation, the spread of ASF in Camiguin could be attributed to a family who went to a fiesta in Misamis Oriental and allegedly brought with them food from the celebration.
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