VICTORIAS City has nine confirmed cases of African swine fever (ASF), City Veterinarian John Michael Cabugwason confirmed Tuesday, June 6, in a press conference.
Two positive cases were reported in Barangay 5, which are owned by a backyard hog raiser, while the seven cases were pigs from Hinigaran transported to the city by Victorias Foods Corp. on June 2, he said.
Cabugwason said a total of 15 hogs were brought to the city by VFCm with seven tested positive for the virus.
"As part of the city's animal diseases surveillance, a local test was conducted and the same samples were sent to the Regional Diagnostic Animal Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture, which also had the same ASF positive result that came out in the morning of June 6," Cabugwason said.
"This is the first local ASF positive case in Victorias City," Cabugwason said.
He added that the two ASF positive pigs died.
He said that the area in Barangay 5 was already isolated and disinfected, and that the 500 meter radius was immediately observed after the local farmers were informed of the situation.
He said, so far, there are no other existing hog raisers in the area.
On the part of the VFC, the city government immediately dispatched its disinfection team Tuesday, and a stoppage of slaughtering was immediately imposed in its private slaughterhouse, Cabugwason said.
From June 2, only those 15 pigs from Hinigaran were slaughtered.
Disinfection in the affected areas is always immediately conducted.
Mayor Javi Benitez, who also joined the press conference, said they are closely monitoring the situation to assess if there is a need to declare a state of calamity.
He said that he has already informed Hinigaran Mayor Jose Nadie Arceo of the situation.*