Bulacan remains free of African Swine Fever, say local execs

CITY OF MALOLOS –– The hog industry in this province remained unaffected by the dreaded African Swine Fever (ASF), local officials said.

Voltaire Basinang, Bulacan provincial veterinary officer, on Friday said there had been no confirmed reports of the ASF virus among hog raisers in the province even after 21 pigs from backyard piggeries here died last month.

Basinang said they had yet to determine whether the pigs were struck by cholera or diarrhea.

“We have submitted blood samples [from the hogs] and we are still waiting for the confirmatory results from the Bureau of Animal Industry,” he said.

Also last month, Basinang’s office culled 61 healthy hogs in Pritil, Guiguinto as a precautionary measure.

He said the hogs came from other provinces that could have been inflicted with swine fever although the Department of Health had earlier assured the public that there was no ASF outbreak in the country.

Gov. Daniel Fernando said the provincial government would continue to carry out preventive measures, such as disinfecting hog farms, to prevent the viral disease./lzb