New swine disease outbreak hits 4 Cagayan towns

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines — Four towns in Cagayan have recorded African swine fever (ASF) cases again.

Provincial veterinary officer Myka Ponce said testing confirmed that ASF recurred in seven barangays in Claveria, three in Ballesteros and one each in Piat and Aparri.

Forty-three hog raisers were affected by the new outbreak.

Ponce said their office sent a team last month to collect samples following reports of dead pigs in some hog farms in the barangays.

He said 308 pigs have undergone blood sampling and have been culled to prevent the spread of the swine disease in nearby towns.

Hog raisers in the province were advised to strictly enforce biosecurity measures and immediately report any hog death.

The provincial veterinary office is closely monitoring the recurrence of ASF in the province.

On Monday, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said ASF incidence in the country is waning, noting that the number of hogs that tested positive for the disease is down to 147 as of this month compared to 442 in July.

Dar said only 24 barangays in 16 cities and towns recorded ASF cases.

Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) shows that 2,981 barangays in 579 cities and municipalities, mostly in Luzon, have been affected by ASF since 2019.

BAI director Reildrin Morales said the incidence peaked in August 2020, with 1,773 positive samples.

“To date, 484 cities and municipalities have no reported ASF cases for at least three months, of which 74 have no reported cases for three to six months and 410 have no cases for more than six months,” Morales said.