ILOILO – The number of “red zones” in this province due to African Swine Fever (ASF) has risen to 11 with the addition of Janiuay in the 3rd District.
Two barangays in Janiuay – Tolarucan and San Pedro – logged ASF infections, according to the provincial government.
On Saturday, Jan. 14, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. signed Executive Order (EO) No. 001-A, Series of 2023, implementing adjusted ASF quarantine procedures and disease prevention and control measures.
“Pursuant to the Department of Agriculture (DA) Clinical Laboratory Report No. 23-1-0028 dated Jan. 12, 2023, swine specimen samples from Barangay Tolarucan and Barangay San Pedro Poblacion, Janiuay tested positive for ASF using the convective PCR (cPCR) test for ASF,” read part of the order.
In a red zone, “the movement of live pigs, pork, pork products (fresh/frozen pork products and uncooked processed pork products, except cooked and canned processed pork products), and swine genetic materials in and out of the said municipality shall be prohibited.”
The red (Infected) zone status shall remain until lifted.
Aside from Janiuay, the 10 other towns deemed as red zones are Oton, San Miguel, Leganes, New Lucena, Alimodian, Santa Barbara, Mina, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, and Banate.
Defensor also ordered the following containment measures for the 11 towns:
* Intensified monitoring, surveillance, investigation, and test and destroy operations within the municipality by the local ASF taskforces (LATFs);
* Movement of live pigs, pork, pork products (fresh/frozen pork products and uncooked processed pork products, except cooked and canned processed pork products), and swine genetic materials from the quarantine area (QA) – area up to one kilometer from the infected area (IP), to outside quarantine area (OQA) – area outside the one kilometer radius from the IP, up to the administrative boundary of the city/municipality classified as red (infected) zone, shall be prohibited;
* Public/delivery transport shall not carry/deliver live pigs, pork, pork products (fresh/frozen pork products and uncooked processed pork products, except cooked and canned processed pork products), and swine genetic materials from and into the municipalities of Oton, San Miguel, Leganes, New Lucena, Alimodian, Santa Barbara, Mina, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas Banate and Janiuay; and
* Concerned LATFs shall conduct monitoring of transport terminals for enforcement of this provision.
Meanwhile, the towns of Zarraga and Badiangan also logged ASF infections, although they were not classified as red zones.
The hog disease is only detected in one barangay per town, Talibong in Zarraga and San Julian in Badiangan, according to the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO).
ADJUSTED CONTAINMENT AND RECOVERY MEASURES
Because of the continued spread of ASF, Defensor adjusted the containment measures as stated in his EO dated Jan. 14, entitled “An order implementing adjusted containment and recovery measures in the pork festival kontra ASF: A program on prevention, containment, depopulation, and recovery against ASF in the province of Iloilo”.
The EO mandates that there shall be sustained and intensified ASF control points along the borders of the red zone and pink (buffer) zones in the following municipalities/barangays: Barangay Tina, Badiangan; Barangay Abangay, Pototan; Barangay Poblacion, Dingle; Barangay Natividad, Barotac Viejo; Barangay Garita, San Enrique; Barangay Bagumbayan Ilaya, Alimodian; Barangay Consolacion, San Miguel; Barangay Talanghauan, Sta. Barbara; Barangay Jelicuon Oeste, New Lucena; Barangay Bantay, Sta. Barbara; Barangay Malublub, Badiangan; Barangay Abangay, Janiuay; Barangay Damires, Janiuay; Barangay Bagongbong, Barotac Nuevo; Barangay Napnapan, Tigbauan; Barangay Baroc, Tigbauan; and Barangay Agboy Sur, Leon.
The above-identified ASF control points shall be operated alternately by the adjacent red and pink zone municipalities/barangays every seven days.
The provincial government shall continue to provide financial assistance to red and pink zone ASF control points./PN
