5 villages in Albay town watched for ASF after 4 slaughtered pigs found positive for virus

LEGAZPI CITY — Authorities are now closely monitoring five villages in Daraga town, Albay province for African swine fever (ASF) after four pigs butchered in the town were found positive for the virus.

Pancho Mella, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Veterinary Services, said the villages of Kilicao, Malobago, Culliat, Alcala and Tagas are within the one-kilometer radius of the private pig pen where the four pigs positive for ASF were delivered from the village of San Fernando, Bombon town, Camarines Sur province last Feb. 18. The private pig pen is at the village of Kilicao.

Organ samples were sent to the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the Bureau of Animal Industry last Feb.  23. Results were released on Monday (March 2).

“As of now, there is no indication of ASF in the villages like reports on hogs with disease. We hope that there will be no contamination,” Mella said.

For the meantime, live pigs will not be sold or transported outside these areas.

Mella added that authorities will collect samples from random live pigs from each village for lab tests while the hog trader in Kilicao will be asked if there were other pigs from Bombon town sold in other areas in Albay.