Swine fever spreads to Catbalogan, Calbayog

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — African swine fever (ASF) has spread to the cities of Calbayog and Catbalogan in Samar, the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Eastern Visayas regional office confirmed yesterday.

Ernestine Ibañez, DA regional coordinator for ASF, said it was the fourth ASF outbreak in Eastern Visayas, which has affected 17 towns and three cities.

The DA regional office deployed teams to investigate how the ASF virus affected backyard hog farms in the two cities.

Authorities said more than 600 hogs within the 500-meter radius in the affected areas would be culled to prevent the spread of the swine disease.

Ibañez said 12,442 hogs have been culled in Eastern Visayas since Jan. 14.

The first ASF case in Samar provinces was recorded in Lope de Vega town in Northern Samar in March.

Abuyog town in Leyte recorded the first ASF case in Eastern Visayas in January.

ASF cases were later recorded in Javier, Dulag, La Paz, Burauen, MacArthur, Palo, Pastrana, Tanauan, Tolosa,Tabontabon, Mayorga, Carigara, Jaro, Dagami and in this city.

In Southern Leyte, ASF hit backyard-raised hogs in Silago town.

Ibañez said P5,000 in financial assistance for every culled pig was given to affected hog raisers in Abuyog, Javier and Mayorga.