BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Confirmed cases of African swine fever have been recorded in Negros Occidental, prompting authorities to urge local government units (LGU) and hog raisers to strictly follow ASF-control protocols.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that laboratory tests conducted on samples submitted by an LGU confirmed the presence of ASF infections.
The local office of the Bureau of Animal Industry confirmed the hog infection.
“Based on a report dated June 18, about one percent of the province’s hog population has been affected. We requested updated figures as the number may have increased,” Lacson said.
He emphasized the importance of following established protocols including the immediate burial of dead pigs and disinfection of affected areas.
Lacson said the provincial government would implement similar measures used in previous ASF outbreaks, which he described as successful and paved the way for the local swine industry to recover and the hogs to repopulate.
San Enrique Mayor Jilson Tubillara confirmed the ASF infection in his town following the release of laboratory results on Monday.
Tubillara said the infected hogs were buried immediately.
To contain the virus, border control measures have been established, with barangay officials ordered to strengthen biosecurity practices in their respective jurisdictions.
Tubillara said all barangays in his town reported infections.
He said more than 500 hogs in his town have died from ASF.
Negros Occidental suffered heavy losses from ASF and hog cholera in 2023, with nearly 18,000 hog deaths recorded.
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya reconstituted the ASF Task Force to protect the city’s hog industry from the virus.