Signs of ASF infection show up in Davao del Sur town

MAGSAYSAY, Davao del Sur, Philippines — The death of a pig and symptoms monitored on other pigs in Barangay Poblacion in this town prompted the local government to impose a lockdown even before laboratory results could confirm the presence of the African swine fever (ASF) virus.

Helen Carampatana, municipal agriculture officer, told the Inquirer that a pig was monitored to have died in Barangay Poblacion here last week, prompting them to take blood samples, which they already sent to the Bureau of Animal Industry in Quezon City.

But Carampatana said that, even before laboratory results could confirm the presence of ASF infection, they already gathered the 100 hog raisers in Barangay Poblacion on Saturday and briefed them about the 1-7-10 protocol, which would require the culling of pigs within a kilometer radius from the location of the dead pig.

“As of now, we have initiated quarantine measures and a lockdown was ordered in the Poblacion area,” Carampatana said.

She clarified, however, that the lockdown was only imposed to prevent the movement of pigs in or out of the area. She also said they were still waiting for the laboratory results to confirm the ASF infection before they could begin culling.

On Thursday, Feb. 13, Mayor Arthur Davin issued an order creating the Municipal Task Force for African Swine Fever, saying: “This is to protect the swine industry of the municipality from the potential threat of ASF and the resulting economic loss.”

The task force will monitor and inspect all backyards and commercial piggeries in the town’s 22 villages.

Davin also ordered the police to set up checkpoints at all access roads to the town to guard against the possible entry of infected pigs and urged all hog raisers and traders to cooperate with authorities.

/atm