Swine fever cases in Central Luzon confirmed

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has yet again confirmed cases of African swine fever (ASF) in three additional areas, this time in a site in Antipolo as well as several areas in Central Luzon.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar, however, won’t identify yet the newly determined “ASF positive” areas, but that the so-called 1-7-10 protocol for containment and control of the disease has been initiated.

Within a 10-kilometer radius from “ground zero” where the incidence of the disease has been confirmed, hog raisers are required to report to authorities when their pigs showed signs of sickness.

“We have also implemented depopulation [culling] in these new areas,” Dar said. “So far, there are now a total of 15,000 head [of pigs destroyed], including the 7,416 that we reported when we announced confirmation of the African swine fever last Sept. 9.”

Last week, the DA said there were already a total of 11 sites where laboratory tests had confirmed the incidence of ASF, including the barangays of San Isidro, San Jose, Macabud, Geronimo, San Rafael and Mascap—all in Rodriguez, Rizal.

Other sites are the San Mateo Slaughterhouse in Rizal, Barangay Cupang in Antipolo City, Barangay Pritil in Guiguinto, Bulacan, as well as barangays Bagong Silangan and Payatas in Quezon City.

“Add to that one site in Antipolo that we confirmed two days ago plus some areas in Central Luzon,” Dar said. “I will not name yet.”