BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The number of swine mortalities due to hog cholera, African Swine Fever (ASF) and other swine diseases in Negros Occidental surpassed 11,000, data from the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) as of June 7 showed.
San Enrique recorded the highest hog mortalities with 2,642 or 98.14 percent of the town’s hog population.
Also posting a high number of hog deaths were the town of Valladolid (2,060), Bago City (1,928) and Pontevedra (1,084).
PVO added th at losses due to hog mortalities reached P125,341,250.
In a related development, Cadiz City’s Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. revealed their City Veterinary Office has begun distributing hog cholera vaccines for piglets, although vaccine supplies are now running out due to high demand in the province.
Escalante said they are now planning to hand out financial assistance to all affected hog raisers in the city aside from the P2,000 cash aid from the provincial government.
As of this writing, Cadiz City remains ASF free. Hog deaths in the city were due to hog cholera, the city mayor added./PN
