Abuyog town depopulates swines due to viral outbreak

MORE hogs will be culled in Abuyog, Leyte following the first confirmed case of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Eastern Visayas on January 13, 2021.

“It was agreed during the coordination meeting with the local government unit (LGU) of Abuyog to immediately implement disease control measures such as depopulation and proper disposal of the affected hogs, inventory of hogs in the identified areas, enforce strong border control in the municipality and disease surveillance and sampling to include nearby barangays,” said Angel Enriquez, regional director of Department of Agriculture (DA).

In a statement, DA said the highly contagious disease affecting domestic and wild pigs was first detected in Barangay Can-aporong, Abuyog.

As part of its precautionary measures to combat ASF, the Municipal Government of Abuyog disallowed the movement of swines and hogs for the period of January 14, 2021, to February 15, 2021.

“Swine/hogs should be strictly confined in the respective barangays where they are being raised either, for private or commercial purpose,” it said.

The municipal government said culling or depopulation of swines should be imposed to areas or barangays where swines are infected with ASF.

“From an infected swine as point of reference, any and all swines within 500 meters radius have to be culled,” it added.

Meanwhile, LGU Abuyog said the determination of the recipients and the amount of indemnity payment for pigs culled due to ASF shall be according to the rules and regulations of the DA.

The indemnification process will be conducted by the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist, Municipal Accountant, Office of the Municipal Treasurer and the Office of the Municipal Mayor.

The health department earlier assured the public that ASF is not a threat to human life. (SunStar Philippines)