The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed its latest data that African swine fever is getting serious, detecting cases in 460 municipalities in 54 provinces.
As of April 10, only 20 provinces remained ASF-free, which are identified as Batanes, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Masbate, Aklan, Antique, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Biliran, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.
However, the other provinces that are battling to contain the widespread of ASF in their territories are:
<ul>
<li>Abra</li>
<li>Benguet</li>
<li>Ifugao</li>
<li>Kalinga</li>
<li>Mountain Province</li>
<li>Apayao</li>
<li>Pangasinan</li>
<li>Cagayan</li>
<li>Isabela</li>
<li>Nueva Vizcaya</li>
<li>Bataan</li>
<li>Bulacan</li>
<li>Nueva Ecija</li>
<li>Pampanga</li>
<li>Tarlac</li>
<li>Zambales</li>
<li>Aurora</li>
<li>Batangas</li>
<li>Cavite</li>
<li>Laguna</li>
<li>Quezon</li>
<li>Rizal</li>
<li>Marinduque</li>
<li>Camarines Sur</li>
<li>Sorsogon</li>
<li>Capiz</li>
<li>Iloilo</li>
<li>Guimaras</li>
<li>Cebu</li>
<li>Leyte</li>
<li>Northern Samar</li>
<li>Samar</li>
<li>Southern Leyte</li>
<li>Zamboanga del Norte</li>
<li>Zamboanga del Sur</li>
<li>Zamboanga Sibugay</li>
<li>Camiguin</li>
<li>Lanao del Norte</li>
<li>Misamis Oriental</li>
<li>Davao del Norte</li>
<li>Daval del Sur</li>
<li>Davao Oriental</li>
<li>Davao de Oro</li>
<li>Davao Occidental</li>
<li>North Cotabato</li>
<li>Sultan Kudarat</li>
<li>Sarangani</li>
<li>Agusan del Norte</li>
<li>Agusan del Sur</li>
<li>Surigao del Norte</li>
<li>Surigao del Sur</li>
<li>Dinagat Islands</li>
<li>Maguindanao del Sur.</li>
</ul>
Rex Estoperez, assistant secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the department's deputy spokesman, had stated that ASF is now a national problem because President Marcos is fully aware of the scope of the outbreak.
Just the National Capital Region (Metro Manila), out of the nation's 17 regions, is still free from ASF, according to the BAI.
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which reported its first incidence of the virus in South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur, is the most recent area to record an ASF epidemic.
Estoperez claimed that the DA is according to the International Organization for Animal Health's protocol. It entails the eviction of residents within a 500-meter radius of the ASF-affected area.
In order to coordinate the adoption of steps to stop the future spread of the virus, the DA is currently contacting local government units, particularly in the province of Cebu, he said.
The 12 locations in Cebu afflicted by ASF are the municipalities of Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, San Fernando, Sibonga, and Tuburan, as well as the cities of Bogo, Carcar, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Cebu, and Talisay.
Despite the ASF pandemic, pork remains expensive at retail. According to the DA's monitoring, the retail price for pork liempo varied between P330 and P420 per kilo and between P290 and P360 per kilo for pig ham.

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ASF spreads to 460 towns, 54 provinces — BAI