PIO DURAN, Albay—More than 100 pigs in the village of Caratagan here had been infected with African swine fever (ASF), a disease that could be devastating to the swine industry.
Pio Duran Mayor Alan Arandia said on Tuesday (Sept. 22) that the staff of the municipal agriculture office is now tracing the source of the infection and its possible route to prevent the spread of the virus.
Rosalina Sario, Pio Duran agriculturist, said at least 163 heads of hog had been infected “within 500 meter radius.” “Depopulation is being done,” she said, using a euphemism for culling, or mass slaughter.
Arandia said 70 backyard hog raisers, who were likely to lose income from the loss of their pigs due to ASF, were each given a sack of rice and P2,000 in cash as a form of aid.
Asked where the virus originated, Arandia said “it might have (been) carried by closed van carrying frozen meat products.”
TSB