THE Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Negros Occidental is stepping up its measures to prevent the possible entry of African swine fever (ASF) in the province.
The Philippine Government, particularly the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Transportation (DOTr), have been campaigning against the disease following the outbreak in neighboring countries like China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Mongolia including active cases in 17 other countries.
For Negros Occidental, PVO’s Animal Health and Meat Inspection Services Division has started to implement various measures to ensure that the province will remain free from the threat of ASF.
Provincial veterinarian Renante Decena said PVO has strengthened the inspection and monitoring of frozen and processed pork products coming in the province.
Decena said they have installed additional footbaths in all ports of entry as part of a heightened disease surveillance.
“PVO also conducted massive information education campaign through its Provincial Veterinary District Field Units with the cooperation of local hog raisers and paravets associations,” he added.
ASF is a contagious haemorrhagic viral disease among domestic and wild pigs that can spread rapidly regardless of borders.
Though ASF is not a risk to human health, it can still bring serious economic and production losses to the swine industry.
“Thus, efforts are being taken to prevent its entry in the country considering that there is no vaccine yet to cure the viral disease,” the provincial veterinarian said.
PVO records showed that Negros Occidental has a total swine population of 508,709 heads as of January 2019.
Of the figure, 451,035 heads are from the backyard sector and 57,674 heads from the commercial sector.
Amid the threat brought by the disease, PVO is reminding the public to refrain from bringing in pork products and by-products from ASF infected countries.
This is to help protect the multi-billion swine industry of the province, its top official added.