THE Province of Cebu remains free of the African swine fever (ASF), the fatal viral animal disease affecting pigs of all ages.

Latest samples taken from two hogs from two barangays in the northern town of Carmen which died of suspicious causes tested negative of the ASF virus.

A clinical laboratory report from the Bureau of Animal Industry-Veterinary Laboratory Division released on Feb. 23, 2020 showed that a total of nine pigs were tested for the ASF virus.

The whole blood and sera samples taken from the nine pigs, which include the two from Carmen, all tested negative for ASF.

“The Provincial Veterinary Office always sends for testing samples of pigs that die of suspicious causes, to make sure it is not ASF,” Cebu provincial veterenarian Mary Rose Vincoy said.

The Philippine College of Swine Practitioners describes ASF as a contagious viral disease which exclusively infects pigs and wild boars. The ASF exhibits similar signs to other hemorrhagic diseases.

The Department of Agriculture first confirmed an ASF outbreak in seven areas of Bulacan and Rizal provinces in Luzon in September 2019.

This prompted Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to issue several executive orders to protect Cebu’s P11 billion local hog industry, including a 90-day ban on the entry of live hogs, pork-related products, byproducts and commingled food products from the entire island of Mindanao and an indefinite ban on the entry of live hogs, pork-related products, byproducts and commingled food products from Luzon, Davao Region and Eastern Visayas. (RTF)