JORDAN, Guimaras – The ban on hogs and pork products and byproducts from areas hit by the African swine fever (ASF) remains, according to Gov. Samuel Gumarin in Memorandum Order No. 06 Series of 2021 that reiterated a previous memo on such prohibition.
He ordered the Provincial Veterinary Service Office “to intensely strengthen” quarantine procedures in the ports of entry of Guimaras – the wharves in the municipalities of Jordan and Buenavista.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed on Jan. 15 a case of ASF in Easter Visayas (Abuyog, Leyte) – the first such case in the Visayas following cases in Luzon and Mindanao.
Gumarin said Guimaras’ hog industry must be protected.
ASF is a severe viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs. It could result to serious hog production and economic losses.
DA Region 6’s Bureau of Animal Industry-Veterinary Quarantine Service suggested stepping up disinfection of anyone and anything entering each local government units’ borders.
“Ang amon diri idea sa mga borders, No. 1 gid ang disinfection of incoming and outgoing transport carriers,” said Dr. John Hilario Jr., regional head of the Veterinary Quarantine Service.
ASF is a trans-boundary animal disease that can be spread by live or dead pigs, domestic or wild, and pork products.
Transmission can also occur via contaminated feed and fomites (non-living objects) such as shoes, clothes, vehicles, knives, equipment etc., due to the high environmental resistance of ASF virus./PN
