No ASF in 15 areas

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DMVF) has refuted reports claiming that African Swine Fever (ASF) is present in areas in the city other than Barangay Bonbon.

This is after a memorandum came out indicating that there were actually 15 areas in Cebu City that have ASF presence.

The memorandum was issued by Talisay City’s Livestock and Poultry Center to meat brokers and livestock handlers, which is now making rounds in social media.

Dr. Alice Utlang, city veterinarian and DVMF chief, however, said the information in the memorandum is old.

“Di man na mao iyang memo, kay kung ikaw magtan-aw, it’s alarming kay nganong daghan kaayog kaso sa Cebu City,” she said.

Utlang said the list were cases recorded in 2023, so the memo is “misleading.” To date, she said, only Bonbon has a confirmed case of ASF and that is now already mitigated.

She said that since then, DVMF implemented strict biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of the disease to other barangays. Measures included daily blood sample collection and regular disinfection in swine farms in the said barangay.

Utlang said that as of August 9, 2024 they collected samples from Barangay Babag and Pulangbato and the confirmatory test came out negative.

She said that despite the result, they implemented mitigating measures, including cascading awareness to farmers.  Utlang said they also collected samples from the neighboring areas just to make sure that the ASF has not spread.

Utlang further said that they since Bonbon is the “ground zero,” there were individuals who will give assistance to at least 2,500 farmers in the area since there are those who were not insured.

Close to 80 farmers, though, have secured livestock insurance for their hogs through the assistance of the City Agriculture Department (CAD). These farmers have applied for insurance for at least 405 of their breeding and fattening hogs.

The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) described ASF as a “highly-contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs. It is “characterized by high fever, loss of appetite, and hemorrhages in the skin and internal organs, and often leads to death within a few days.”

“Even as it does not harm human health, ASF outbreaks have severe economic impacts due to the loss of livestock. The virus is resilient and can be spread through direct contact with infected pigs, contaminated feed, or objects such as clothing and vehicles,” WOAH said.

It was reported that there were cases of ASF in Bonbon after the death of at least seven pigs last July 14. (CEBU NEWS)