ILOILO City – Despite no reported case of African swine fever (ASF) in Iloilo province, the provincial government here is strengthening its efforts to prevent the spread of the disease.
In the Iloilo Provincial ASF Task Force meeting held recently, Dr. Darel P. Tabuada, supervising veterinarian of the Provincial Veterinary Office, said there is a need for stakeholders to work together in order to avert the spill-over of ASF in Iloilo province.
“We need to be prepared and be vigilant so we could protect the local hog industry here,” said Tabuada.
He said that they are already in the process of establishing contingency plans which will include teams that will implement actions and measures to combat ASF.
“These teams will include the quick response, headed by the supervising veterinarian; quarantine; surveillance; information, education, communication (IEC) and legal,” he said.
Meanwhile, the province of Iloilo issued Executive Order No. 027A, series of 2020, which mandated the implementation of a total ban of swine, pork, pork products, and pork by-products from affected countries, Luzon, and Mindanao including its island province, until the entire country is declared by the Department of Agriculture as ASF-free.
Recently, DA confirmed cases of ASF in the municipalities of Don Marcelino and Maita, both in the province of Davao Occidental and in Camarines Sur in Bicol region.
ASF is a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever in pigs caused by a virus and can be transmitted via fomites and in uncooked pork products. (PIA-Iloilo)
