DA: No second wave of ASF outbreaks

MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Agriculture (DA) yesterday allayed fears of a second wave of African swine fever outbreaks amid the continued rise of ASF cases in many areas in the country.

DA Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said the current ASF cases are still part of the outbreak since the virus was first detected in 2019.

De Mesa said ASF has been in the country for almost five years.

“It did not totally disappear,” De Mesa said.

Earlier, hog raisers’ group National Federation of Hog Raisers Inc. expressed alarm that a second wave of ASF outbreaks could be currently affecting the country. NatFed noted that the swine industry incurred major losses amounting to billions of pesos during the 2019 ASF outbreak.

“I was the (DA) regional director in Calabarzon at the time. There were times that the virus resurfaced. This was also the case in other regions, but we cannot consider this as a second round (of outbreak) as it has been five years. The virus is still here,” De Mesa said.

He said the current outbreaks are not alarming and the government is still on top of the situation.

“We were able to control it, although there were increases in the cases in some areas, but control measures are in place,” he added.

Aside from Batangas, the provinces of Isabela, Laguna and Quezon confirmed the spread of ASF in their areas.