DA denies Phl has most of swine deaths globally

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture is debunking reports that the Philippines accounts for a majority of African swine fever (ASF)-caused deaths globally.

“The recent newspaper report that the Philippines accounts for a huge majority of all ASF deaths globally is grossly misleading, malicious and irresponsible,” the DA said in a statement.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar cited data from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) showing that global deaths due to ASF have reached 2,530,969 since ASF first appeared in Kenya in 1921, as compared to 7,416 ASF cases in the Philippines, as of end-August 2019.

“This translates to merely 0.0029 percent, or three deaths for every 1,000 pigs,” Dar said.

He added that these cases represent six deaths for every 10,000 pigs of the country’s total swine population, which stood at 12.7 million, as of July 2019, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

News reports quoting the OIE’s report on the ASF situation from Aug. 30 to Sept. 12 circulated earlier this week, showed that a total of 9,997 ASF deaths happened globally during the period.

According to the OIE report, Europe registered 1,587 swine deaths while Africa reported 214. Asia accounted for the most deaths during the period, with 8,196.

For Asia, the Philppines registered 7,952 of the notified deaths during the week as it reported its first cases of ASF on Sept. 9.

As some newspapers came out with stories on the report, Dar emphasized that this could create panic among pork consumers and the general public, and destroy the country’s P260-billion swine industry which provides income and livelihood for millions of Filipino families.

Quarantine in QC barangays

Meanwhile, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said on Friday that ASF was confirmed in blood samples taken from dead and live pigs in Barangays Payatas and Bagong Silangan, two of the communities with the highest number of backyard piggeries in the city. This was based on laboratory results from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

Dar has ordered the start of quarantine and depopulation measures in the two barangays.

“Sec. Dar has directed Dr. Ronnie Domingo… last Wednesday to start quarantine and depopulation procedures in Barangay Bagong Silangan and Payatas,” said agriculture spokesperson Noel Reyes.

“That means they are ASF positive, and that the 1-7-10 protocol was set in motion,” he added.

The two barangays have at least 1,000 backyard piggeries each in their respective areas, the Quezon City Veterinary Office earlier said.

Belmonte said they submitted a total of 45 blood samples to the BAI for testing, 35 of which tested positive for ASF.

Following the confirmation, she said the city government will continue the culling or slaughtering of pigs within the one-kilometer radius of the barangays.

Belmonte, in an interview over dzBB, said they are studying if ASF reached Quezon City following the disposal of infected pigs into rivers.

At least three dead pigs were found along a creek last week in Barangay Silangan that tested positive for ASF.

She has warned that charges will be filed against people responsible for the disposal of dead hogs in rivers.

Belmonte met hog raisers from Payatas, as the city government set aside P10 million to serve as financial aid for hog raisers affected by the outbreak of ASF.

Despite ASF-positive results in some parts of the city, Belmonte allayed fears about the safety of pork in La Loma, the lechon capital of QC, for public consumption.

She reassures residents that lechon sold in the area is ASF-free.

Belmonte added that swill could have been the culprit in the spread of ASF in the city. She has ordered the tightening of collection and disposal of food wastes from establishments as this could have been the source of the virus.  

Kitchen and food waste material should be immediately transported to the Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill so that it could not be sold as swill.

In a related development yesterday, local police in Barangay Carayungan Sur in Pangasinan, along with municipal veterinary officer, Dr. Noel Perlaoan, confiscated two piglets suspected to be afflicted with ASF.

Owner Susana Fabro voluntarily surrendered the piglets to the DA for proper disposal. – With Romina Cabrera, Eva Visperas