CITY Veterinary Office (CVO) assures that the African Swine Fever (ASF) case in Maa Slaughterhouse has been condemned before it reached the market.
“Katong positive sa slaughterhouse [nga baboy] is wala to siya nakagawas, so nacondemn siya, wala s’ya nagawas sa market, gi-closed dayon namo kadtong sa Bangkerohan area katong naay upat ka Stockyard so wala dayon nakagawas (The positive case detected in the slaughterhouse [Maa] was prevented from getting out. It was condemned before it reached the market, so we closed the Bangkerohan area, where there are four Stockyards, to isolate it),” Dr. Cerelyn Pinili, CVO Head, said in an interview with the Davao City Disaster Radio.
Recently, a pig slaughtered at the Maa Slaughterhouse tested positive for ASF during a postmortem inspection last June 20, 2022. CVO said the hog was initially cleared during the antemortem inspection as the virus is difficult to detect in live animals. The pig came from Banga, South Cotabato, which has been affected by the ASF.
This incident led to the temporary shut down of the Maa Slaughterhouse from June 22 to June 26, 2022, for thorough disinfection, while the Malagos Slaughterhouse was then temporarily opened to cater to clients from Maa.
“Sa pagkakaron, gipakusgan gyud nato ang pag-monitor diha sa veterinary checkpoint (As of now, we have strengthened the monitoring at our veterinary checkpoints),” Pinili said.
Also, stockyards and slaughterhouses in the city were ordered to sanitize and disinfect their areas.
Pinili said commercial hogs coming from areas that have declared ASF outbreaks, known as red zones, and that have not been flagged or green zones should acquire an animal inspection certificate and an ASF-free certificate from the Veterinary Quarantine Services Department of the Department of Agriculture but non-commercial hogs or backyard hogs from outside of the city are not allowed entry.
However, Pinili said the recent incident is an isolated case. KSD