CEBU CITY – The Central Visayas region remains safe from the Asian swine fever (ASF) despite the detection of this highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs in Eastern Visayas (Region 8), the Department of Agriculture in Region 7 (DA-7) on Monday said.
Lawyer Salvador Diputado, DA-7 regional director, said the four provinces in Central Visayas — Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor — have heightened vigilance against the ASF following the official declaration of the contagion in neighboring Region 8.
The ASF case detected in backyard farms in the villages of Can-aporong and Bunga in Abuyog, Leyte was the first in the three regions of the Visayas.
Because of the ASF case in Abuyog, the Central Visayas Animal Disease Surveillance Advisory Committee of the DA-7 has mobilized all chief veterinarians in the four provinces and major cities.
The Regional Vet Quarantine Services-7 (RVQS-7) and the National Meat Inspection Services-7 are also assisting the agriculture department in monitoring the situation in Eastern Visayas and to ensure that no hogs from the province would find their way to Region 7.
Diputado said local government units and the RVQS-7 have deployed personnel in ports.
They are directed to strictly check all documents accompanying transported swine and pork meat to ensure that all livestock transport vehicles are properly disinfected.
Disinfection certificates must be present at all ports, he said.
Online application for shipping permits is already enforced by the RVQS-7 with an additional requirement for submission of a route plan.
Cebu and Bohol issued their respective executive orders regulating the transport and movement of hogs and pork meat. (PNA)
