LAOAG CITY—Local officials confirmed Wednesday the detection of African swine fever (ASF) among hogs in Bacarra town, Ilocos Norte province.
Blood samples collected from hogs in the affected area tested positive for the disease on Tuesday, according to the Bacarra agriculture office.
The culling of hogs within the 500-meter radius from infected premises would follow, to prevent the spread of the disease, according to the agriculture office.
Earlier, at least 891 pigpens and piggeries had been geotagged for easier monitoring and mapping of hog raisers in the town.
Aside from Bacarra, ASF had spread to at least 13 towns and cities in Ilocos Norte, namely, the cities of Laoag and Batac, and the towns of Nueva Era, San Nicolas, Burgos, Piddig, Sarrat, Vintar, Banna, Dingras, Marcos, Carasi, and Solsona.
At least 7,000 hogs worth at least P50 million in the affected areas had been culled to contain the disease, according to the latest report of the provincial government. INQ