More cases of suspected ASF seen in Camarines Sur

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay, Philippines — Several hogs in another town in Camarines Sur province were found to exhibit signs of being afflicted with African swine fever (ASF), according to a statement released Saturday afternoon by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The development came after the province was placed under red alert Thursday following the confirmation of ASF infection in 23 dead pigs in Barangay Santo Domingo in Bombon town.

The investigation conducted by the DA Regional Quick Response Team (RQRT) found that several hogs that died in Barangay Salud in Calabanga town had “pathognomonic signs and lesions suggestive of ASF.”

Pending the official laboratory confirmation, the village was marked as “ground zero or point of reference for determining the quarantine, surveillance, and control zones based on the 1-7-10 protocol as biosafety measures.”

Last Thursday, veterinary personnel from the DA conducted the culling of at least 250 pigs that were raised in Bombon and within its 1-km radius.

A team of veterinarians was also dispatched to check on the report that several pigs have died due to ASF in Calabanga Thursday.

Calabanga is a first-class town in Camarines Sur some 22 kilometers from Naga City.

Take over

The Camarines Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Recovery and Management Council (PDRRMC) on Saturday took over full operational supervision in the management, containment, and control of ASF in the province, the DA said.

Emilia Bordado, DA Bicol spokesperson, said the turnover of operational supervision over the ASF control and prevention was in line with the agency Administrative Order No. 14 of 2019.

Under the memorandum order, the RQRT would just provide technical assistance to the PDRRMC chaired by Camarines Sur Migz Villafuerte.

Meanwhile, Calabanga was also placed under lockdown — meaning no hogs, pork, or meat products would be allowed to leave and enter the town. Bombon had also been under lockdown since Thursday.

The provinces of Albay and Sorsogon and Naga City also declared under lockdown as a preventive measure for the entry of swine and other meat products coming from ASF affected areas.

/atm