DA confirms wild pigs in Abra infected with ASF

BAGUIO CITY –– The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Cordillera on Thursday confirmed that some wild pigs in Abra province were infected with the African Swine Fever (ASF), which had spread to several villages.

Cameron Odsey, DA Cordillera director, said ASF contamination had been reported in Boliney, Daguioman, Tineg, and Malibcong towns since March. These Abra towns share borders with Kalinga and Apayao provinces.

“We do not know how many wild pigs [are infected with ASF] exactly, but an Abra hunter has reported seeing a family of wild pigs dead,” he said during a briefing.

He also clarified that domesticated black native pigs are different from wild pigs.

According to Odsey, the wild pigs could have caught the virus from scrap processed food left by hunters and scattered in the forests of Abra.

Odsey said Abra officials had initiated measures to mitigate the spread of ASF among wild pigs in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

He said they had asked farmers and hunters to refrain from bringing home and transporting meat of wild pigs to prevent an ASF outbreak among domesticated pigs in their communities.

LZB