ILOILO – The number of towns in this province declared as red zones due to African Swine Fever (ASF) rose to 16.
Zarraga was added on Friday, Feb. 17, through Executive Order No. 001-D, series of 2023, said officer-in-charge governor Dennis T. Ventilation.
Two barangays – Talibong and Balud I – recorded ASF infections as of Feb. 15.
Aside from Zarraga, the first 15 red zones were Oton, San Miguel, Leganes, New Lucena, Alimodian, Santa Barbara, Mina, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, Banate, Janiuay, Barotac Viejo, Dingle, Batad, and San Dionisio.
Under 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 16 municipalities shall be prohibited.
The red (infected) zone status shall remain until lifted.
Ventilacion also ordered the implementation of the following measures to contain the spread of ASF:
* 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 a 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 said 16 municipalities.
* Concerned LATFs shall conduct monitoring of transport terminals for enforcement of this provision.
Five towns, meanwhile, were placed under pink zone: Dueñas, Concepcion, Pototan, Badiangan, and Estancia./PN
