TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed on Wednesday an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte.
Laboratory results show that 30 hogs in Tangkaan village in Padre Burgos town tested positive for ASF.
Sick animals manifested clinical signs of the highly contagious disease, said DA Eastern Visayas regional ASF coordinator Vencie Pantonino.
“Aside from those hogs tested, there are also 30 reported swine mortalities due to ASF since the last week of June 2023,” Pantonino said in a phone interview.
Citing the initial investigation result, the official disclosed that possible transmission of the virus resulted from the transport of infected live hogs from neighboring municipalities that still have ASF active cases, swill feeding, and poor biosecurity.
“We assure the public that a technical team has been deployed upon the confirmation of said cases and continues to conduct proper preventive measures against the spread of the virus. The DA is closely monitoring the area and its neighboring communities for possible transmission,” Pantolino added.
Since 2021, Eastern Visayas has recorded 13,366 ASF cases, many of which were depopulated by authorities.
The first ASF case was detected on Jan. 14, 2021, in Can-aporong village in Abuyog, Leyte. The town became ASF-free after 10 months.
The DA encourages the public, particularly those in the affected zones, to observe protocols, and to avoid transport of hogs to-and-from the infected area.
Everyone is urged to coordinate with their respective municipal agriculture office and immediately report any unusual animal mortalities or manifestation of symptoms of the disease.
Among the precautionary measures highly recommended by DA are disinfecting the vehicles used to transport the hogs and all the equipment; regularly checking of hogs by an expert to ensure their health; maintaining the sanitation of the surroundings; avoiding swill feeding; and proper disposal of manures of the infected hogs. (PNA)
