New cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) were detected in three municipals in Occidental Mindoro, the province's governor Ed Gadiano announced on Monday, January 22.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Gadiano said the Bureau of Animal Industry's confirmatory test showed that blood samples of hogs from the following municipalities tested positive for ASF:
- Sitio Danlog at Sitio Balingaso, Brgy. Monteclaro, Bayan ng San Jose
- Sitio Amaling I, Brgy. Manoot, Bayan ng Rizal
- Sitio Buboy, San Vicente, Bayan ng Sta. Cruz
He asked affected hog raisers in the aforementioned municipalities to "voluntarily surrender" their hogs to authorities to be culled or depop in adherence to the agriculture department's administrative order.
"Ito ay isinagawa upang agad na mapigilan ang pagkalat ng kaso ng ASF sa ibang lugar ng probinsiya," the Occidental Mindoro governor added.
All affected hog raisers will receive financial aid from the agriculture department, the municipal government in their respective areas, and the provincial government.
Gadiano reminded his constituents that ASF cannot be transmitted to humans.
"[N]gunit ang tao ang maaring magdala ng ASF virus at malipat sa ibang baboy sa pamamagitan ng sasakyan, gamit, damit, tsinelas at sapatos. Ang sakit na ASF ay walang aprubadong bakuna sa buong mundo, at antibayotiko ay hindi gumagana sa mga ito," he said.
The Occidental Mindoro governor asked the public to take extra precautionary measures to prevent the further spread of the ASF virus.
