MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – Ten villages in two towns and a city in the province of La Union have recorded positive cases of African swine fever (ASF) as of Monday, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA) Ilocos Region.
Dr. Alfiero Banaag, DA-Ilocos regulatory division chief and ASF focal person, said in a phone interview that seven of the villages are in Balaoan, two are in Luna and one in San Fernando City.
Banaag said 329 heads of swine from Balaoan have been culled along with 56 from Luna, and 30 from San Fernando City.
“We are in close coordination with the local government units to contain its spread in other areas,” he said.
The affected areas have implemented a temporary total ban of live swine or pigs into or from their jurisdictions for 30 days.
“Tuloy-tuloy ang pagbabantay dahil wala pang bakuna na pwedeng gamitin against ASF kaya nandyan lang [ang virus at] pwede pa mag-spread. At sa observation namin last year basta tag-ulan at basa ang kapaligiran lumalabas 'yung mga kaso (We are continuously monitoring since there is no vaccine against ASF yet and the virus remains. Based on our observation last year, cases come out during the wet season),” Banaag said.
Banaag said the 72 affected backyard hog raisers from Balaoan, seven from Luna, and one from San Fernando will be compensated with PHP5,000 per head of culled swine within the maximum of 20 heads per raiser.
Banaag said the towns of Anda and Sta. Barbara in Pangasinan are still in the red (infected) zone while nine municipalities in Ilocos Sur are progressing from red to pink (no recorded cases within a 90-day period).
Banaag said the supply of pork in the region remains sufficient but admitted that the cases might slightly affect prices. (PNA)
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