TEMPORARY lockdown on the entry and exit of live pigs, pork products in eight sitios of barangay Beckel in La Trinidad, Benguet is on to prevent the spread of the disease to protect the livelihood of other swine growers in the town.

Mayor Romeo Salda thru Executive Order no. 002-2020 declared temporary lockdown on the entry and exit of live pigs and pork products in Sitios Sapsing, Gongel, Central, Obulan, Pagal, Bakong, Busi, and Pagal.

The EO came after several number of pigs in Beckel were tested positive and died due to African Swine Fever (ASF).

Municipal Agriculturist Felicitas Ticbaen on Monday said quarantine protocols were immediately made including depopulation of pigs.

A total of 189 pigs in the town were culled and buried.

Athur Pedro, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer said the pigs were further buried away from water sources.

Both officials have solicited the aid of stakeholders in informing the concerned offices, barangay officials to report suspicious and illegal trading of pigs within their villages.

In Tuba, Benguet pigs were also culled following confirmed cases of ASF.

The hog raiser informed authorities of the incident and opted all his pigs to be de-populated in order to prevent the spread of ASF.

Quarantine checkpoints were earlier placed in Marcos Highway, Kennon Road, Tadiangan, Banangan in Sablan, Bokod, Bangao in Buguias and Colalo in Mankayan following the outbreak after an EO was signed by Governor Melchor Diclas last week ordering temporary lockdown on the entry of live pigs in the province until such time a declaration is made by the Bureau of Animal Industry-Department of Agriculture of the assurance of the safety in the swine industry.

ASF is a double-stranded DNA virus in the Asfarviridae family, it is the causative agent of the swine fever. ASF clinical symptoms such as hemorrhage in the skin, lack of appetite and weakness.