FILE PHOTO: A pig pen in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, is regularly cleaned as a precaution against the spread of African swine fever (ASF). In Occidental Mindoro, the Department of Agriculture recorded new cases of ASF. PHOTO COURTESY OF
GUIHULNGAN VETERINARY OFFICE
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) said that three towns in Occidental Mindoro recorded new cases of African swine fever (ASF).
According to the DA Bureau of Animal Industry on Monday, the three towns which had the cases were the municipality of Rizal, Sta. Cruz, and San Jose.
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DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said that as of January 17, there were seven cases in San Jose, five cases in Sta. Cruz, and two cases in the municipality of Rizal.
The DA added that it detected a case in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Naujan, with Calapan, also in Oriental Mindoro, had previous cases of ASF, while the DA said that it is monitoring the town of Baco as well.
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Cullings, depopulations, and surveillance will be implemented in the towns, the DA said.
The department added that it is on standby for requests from local government units to deploy hog surveillance units and payments for farmers whose hogs had to be slaughtered for the control of the virus.