ASF now in Negros Oriental, culling of pigs ongoing

Authorities are now scrambling to contain the spread of the deadly African swine fever (ASF) after Negros Oriental reported its first case in Barangay Maayong Tubig, Dauin town over the weekend.

Provincial Board Member Woodrow Maquiling, chairman of the committee on agriculture, told the Philippine News Agency on Monday that culling of pigs within a radius of 500 meters from the ASF-affected area is ongoing.

At least 265 had been culled since Sunday, said Maquiling.

“Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) chief Belinda Villahermosa said in a meeting this morning that around 265 pigs were already culled since Sunday as national, regional, and provincial officials from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) are here to assist in containment measures,” he added.

Dauin Mayor Galicano Truita immediately issued an executive order on Saturday to prevent the transmission of the ASF virus to other barangays following the laboratory result from the Bureau of Animal Industry central office that showed blood samples collected from pigs in Maayong Tubig tested positive for ASF.

Executive Order No. 2023-19.1 calls for a temporary ban on the entry and exit of swine/pigs, including fresh and frozen products; the suspension of swine-related activities, such as slaughtering, in the municipality; and the immediate culling of the bovine animals in Purok 1 and 2 of Barangay Maayong Tubig.

Authorities are still doing back-tracing to find out the source of the ASF virus, noting that a temporary ban on the entry and exit of live pigs, pork and by-products in Negros Oriental was in effect in previous months.* (Mary Judaline Partlow/PNA)