Hinigaran villages locked down as African Swine Fever cases confirmed

Reuters File Photo

BACOLOD CITY—Mayor Nadie Arceo has issued a lockdown order for two barangays in Hinigaran town, Negros Occidental, where pig deaths were discovered on Wednesday.

The movement of pigs in and out of Barangays Anahaw and Cabahug is now prohibited, following Tuesday’s announcement that seven pigs from Hinigaran tested positive for African swine fever (ASF) after being transported to Victorias City.

Mayor Arceo said the seven ASF-positive pigs originated from Barangay Anahaw in Hinigaran.

The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) representative in Hinigaran initially cleared the pigs for sale in Victorias City, as no pig deaths had been reported in Barangay Anahaw.

“The hog raisers hid the fact that there were deaths in Anahaw,” Arceo said.

In the neighboring Barangay Cabahug, there have been 16 pig deaths reported. Blood samples from the pigs in both barangays have been collected for ASF testing by the PVO.

Arceo said that all pigs in Hinigaran must be slaughtered at the town’s new slaughterhouse starting Thursday to ensure that they are healthy.

Meanwhile, Mayor Benjie Miranda confirmed the mass burial of pigs in Kabankalan City. Blood samples were sent to the PVO for testing in order to determine the cause of death.

Barangays Binicul and Daan Banwa, where the pig deaths occurred, are currently under lockdown.

As of Wednesday, the PVO reported a total of 181 pig deaths in Kabankalan City.

Miranda said that assistance for affected hog farmers is being considered based on available funds.

During a spot inspection at the market in Toboso, the Toboso ASF Task Force and the PVO District Field Unit 1 Quarantine Inspectors confiscated 134 packs of skinless pork chorizo from Bacolod., Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.

The confiscated items, valued at P4,500, were buried to prevent the spread of the disease, Diaz said.

Bacolod has been identified as an ASF-infected area.