Marikina River tests negative for African swine fever virus

MANILA, Philippines – The Marikina River has tested negative for the  African swine fever (ASF) virus, Mayor Marcelino Teodoro announced on Wednesday, October 2. 

Teodoro made the announcement to a group of fishermen after he received the report of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), which conducted the ASF virus analysis.

“Based on the ASF virus analysis of the Laguna Lake Development Authority, Marikina River tested negative for ASF,”  Teodoro said. 

Marikina authorities had earlier retrieved a total of 65 pig carcasses from the river. Teodoro had offered a P200,000 reward for information that would lead to the arrest of those responsible for the dumping.

The mayor said the immediate retrieval of the pig carcasses might have been the reason why the river water samples tested negative for ASF virus. (FAST FACTS: What is African swine fever?)

“Maybe because we were able to quickly retrieve the carcasses of the pigs that’s why the level of contamination is not so much. We were able to remove 65 carcasses from the river,” he said. 

The mayor said the LLDA took water samples from Circulo Verde in Pasig, the boundary of Jesus dela Pena and Sta Elena; and Bayabas St in Barangay Nangka. 

The mayor also cited the advisory of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that the fish caught in the Marikina River are safe to eat.

The mayor said that the report of BFAR showed that pollutants in Marikina River went up but not exceeding the regulatory limit.

“Pollutants increased due to the biochemical oxygen demand, but the fact remains that the fish tested for Ecoli and Staphylococcus Aureus, is below the regulatory limit. Meaning safe to consume the fishes in Marikina River,” Teodoro said.

“Salmonella is absent in the water,” he added.

On Tuesday, October 1, Teodoro met with around 300 fishermen who operate in the Marikina River to announce the lifting of the fishing ban.  – Rappler.com