ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) stepped up animal quarantine measures in Zamboanga City due to cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) infections in at least five of its villages.
The City Veterinarian’s Office said ASF cases were detected in barangays Pasonanca, Bunguao, Manguso, Curuan, and Manicahan.
Dr. Reildrin Morales, BAI acting director, placed Zamboanga City under the red zone category this week because of the ASF cases.
As of Friday, 469 hogs died of ASF, and 379 others were culled, according to assistant city veterinarian Dr. Arnedo Agbayani.
Agbayani said about 107 hog raisers were affected in the five villages.
City veterinarian Dr. Mario Arriola said on Friday, May 27, that while ASF poses no threat to people, its spread could hurt the hog raisers, their industry, and the economy due to the disease’s high mortality rate.
Arriola said local authorities have started seizing all sorts of pork products from other places, including canned goods from China.
He said the situation in the five affected villages was now under control after hogs were culled.
Arriola said the measures implemented were based on a city ordinance that was approved to prevent the spread of animal diseases that could impact the economy and public health.
The ordinance also mandates hog raisers in the city not to feed pigs with swill.
The same city law prohibits mixed livestock and poultry to avoid cross-infection and the possibility of mutations and new strains. – Rappler.com
Frencie Carreon is a Mindanao journalist and an awardee of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship.
