The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday reported an increase in the number of healthy hogs vaccinated against African swine fever (ASF) using the AVAC live vaccine from Vietnam, which is currently being utilized in government-led ASF immunization efforts.
DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said a total of 33,552 vaccine doses had been administered as of March 28, an increase from the 27,937 doses given earlier in the month.
“Sa vaccine, ang na-administer na ay 33,552 as of March 28. Karamihan pa rin dito ay Region III at IV-A,” De Mesa said in an interview.
According to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the vaccinations have covered 32 farms located in the provinces of Bulacan and Tarlac in Central Luzon, as well as Batangas, Rizal, and Laguna in the Calabarzon region.
De Mesa noted that the AVAC live vaccine has shown promising results, with a mortality rate of less than one percent among vaccinated hogs.
“Maganda iyong resulta… Kung titingnan mo iyong total na namatay versus doon sa dosage, less than 1 percent,” he said, citing its apparent effectiveness in protecting pigs against ASF.
The DA is targeting May for the approval of the vaccine’s commercial use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which would pave the way for broader distribution and usage across the country.
Meanwhile, De Mesa also reported a slight increase in active ASF cases. As of March 28, a total of 42 villages had active ASF outbreaks, up from 39 recorded on March 14.
The affected areas are spread across several regions, including the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas, and Caraga.
Provinces with confirmed ASF cases include Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Marinduque, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Surigao del Sur.
The DA continues to monitor the situation closely while expanding vaccination efforts and biosecurity measures to curb the spread of the virus.