CEBU - The Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas has announced that pork meat coming from Visayas and Mindanao areas is safe from Ebola Reston virus that has earlier been detected in three swine farms in Luzon.
This as the agriculture department is tightly monitoring hog farms and closely watching the movement of pork meat in the region, Grace Dagala, DA-7 information officer, said.
Most importantly, Dagala would want to remind consumers never to panic as the Reston virus does not pose significant public health risk because it has been shown to be non-pathogenic in the past. Thus, not harmful to humans, she pointed out.
Hogs from the three suspected farms in Luzon have already been quarantined so to prevent the virus from spreading to other farms.
Aside from quarantine activities for precautionary measures, DA Secretary Arthur Yap has directed the Bureau of Animal Industry and the National Meat Inspection Service to strictly implement DA Administrative Order Nos. 28 and 32 which respectively covers guidelines on movement and slaughtering of animals where shipment of meats with no health certification and other necessary documents is prohibited.
DA keeps on advising the public to buy meat from stalls with NMIS certifications to ensure that the meat sold have passed the standards of NMIS, especially those in far-flung areas not closely monitored.
DA is asking the people to be vigilant and to report suspicious cases of death among animals in any farm for immediate investigation on the cause of death.
The Department of Health, on the other hand, has been conducting a joint surveillance with the DA. It is also working with international agencies to know the extent and public health implications of the virus.
DOH told the public that it is safe to eat pork provided that it is properly handled and thoroughly cooked. Food must be brought to boiling point to make sure that the core of the meat reaches 70 degrees Celsius.
DOH also stressed the five key rules on food safety to the public, particularly food handlers. The key rules are keeping it clean, separating raw and cooked food, cooking thoroughly, keeping the food at safe temperature and using safe water, and selecting fresh food.
Hog farmers as well as concerned individuals are encouraged to report unusual sickness and deaths among pigs. Meat from sick pigs should not be eaten; sick and dead pigs should be reported and disposed of properly. — Jessica Ann Pareja/MEEV(THE FREEMAN)