THE Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) confirmed that African Swine Fever (ASF) has been detected in other parts of Cebu.

In a social media post on Monday, March 20, 2023, BAI named Cebu City, Liloan, Sibonga, Tuburan, and Bogo City as the local government units (LGUs) in Cebu where ASF was discovered.

The agency added that the LGUs collected blood samples from pigs in backyard farms.

The samples were then submitted to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (RADDL) in Central Visayas for analysis using Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), a method recognized to identify and validate the ASF virus.

Currently, the BAI continues to gather more data and reports in other areas with suspected ASF cases in coordination with the Department of Agriculture Central Visayas (DA 7)

The agency added that this is part of a traceback investigation to determine the scope of the outbreak in the province. (EHP, PJB)