BONTOC, Mountain Province – Officials here confirmed the rising number of pigs and piglets infected with the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus.
According to Municipal Agriculturist Renato Falag-ey, their office recorded a total of 197 pigs and piglets infected with ASF virus from October 2021 to February 9, 2022.
Of the total, 156 were recorded in Barangay Samoki, 27 in Poblacion and nine in Bontoc Ili.
The affected areas in Barangay Samoki are Sitio Riverside, Khefa, Pawek, Sadlan, Khawana, Fagkhay, Attor, Sadlan and Kalonglong. In Barangay Poblacion is Sitio Cheppay while in Barangay Bontoc Ili are Sitios Foyayeng, Pattig and Sokok.
According to the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), ASF is a highly contagious viral disease that affects pigs, warthogs, and boars. It causes pigs to have a high fever and lose their appetite. It also causes hemorrhages in the skin and internal organs. Death is certain. Accordingly, pigs die in a span of two to 10 days upon affliction. Also, there is no vaccine developed to cure the disease infecting pigs.
The ASF can be transmitted or spread through direct contact with infected animal’s body fluids and ticks that feed on infected animals. People are also a source of spread; as they can move the virus on vehicles or clothing.
Agricultural Technologist Sheryl Kate Tumingeb of the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMAg) reported that from the first confirmed case of ASF–infected hog in October last year, the OMAg in partnership with the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian and Livestock Alliance of Technicians have conducted disinfection of pigpens, intensified information education and communication campaigns to hog raisers; swabbing on pigpens and blood sampling for ASF; and mass disinfection. The disinfectants were provided by the OPVet and Universal Robina Corporation.
With this, the ASF Municipal Task Force is appealing to the public, meat vendors, and butchers that pigs raised and butchered in the ASF-affected areas will be sold and consumed within the said area. In addition, the task force is reminding the public to refrain from buying fresh or frozen pork products coming from outside the province. Likewise, consumers from outskirt barangays of Bontoc are advised not to buy live or butchered pigs from identified ASF-affected areas to prevent the entry of the ASF virus in their respective barangays.
Also, backyard hog raisers not to feed the pigs with swill which is the main cause of the spread of the ASF, and to strictly comply with the biosecurity protocols. By Alpine Killa –Malwagay and Christy Mae F. Che-es