5 Quezon villages on lockdown over ASF

SARIAYA, Quezon, Philippines — Five villages in this town have been placed on lockdown due to rising cases of African swine fever (ASF).

In a memorandum dated Aug. 5, Mayor Marcelo Gayeta ordered hogs from the villages of Canda, Janagdong 2, Kiling, Manggalang 1 and Tulo-tulo culled due to confirmed ASF infections.

Only pigs coming from villages with no reported cases of ASF are allowed to be slaughtered upon presentation by its owner of certificates issued by the Animal Health Inspection Office, Municipal Agriculture Office and barangay officials.

Movement of hogs and entry of hog traders in the town are prohibited to prevent the spread of the virus.

Only pork from hogs coming from villages within the town with no reported cases are allowed for sale in local markets.

The depopulation of swine affected 1,394 hog raisers in Rizal, 1,694 in Quezon, 730 in Cavite, 476 in Batangas and 18 in Laguna.

Data from the Department of Agriculture-Calabarazon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) showed that as of July 16, there had been 13,059 pigs culled in Rizal province, the first to be hit by the ASF virus in the region.