The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday confirmed new cases of the African swine fever (ASF) in three towns of Occidental Mindoro.
The DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said the outbreak has prompted local government authorities to conduct a thorough surveillance and immediate depopulation of infected hogs as well as preventive culling in affected areas.
The BAI said barangays in Sta. Cruz and San Jose towns reported an unusual number of pig deaths in Occidental Mindoro province on 12 January.
DA spokesman Arnel de Mesa said blood samples sent to the BAI confirmed seven ASF cases in San Jose, five in Sta. Cruz and two in the municipality of Rizal as of 17 January. It said ASF cases in the island were first detected in Oriental Mindoro late last year.
Pigs bred in the Oriental Mindoro towns of Naujan and Calapan are strictly monitored due to previous ASF cases while the town of Baco is under scrutiny for the possible presence of the virus.
Under DA regulations, a municipality is classified a red zone even if only a single barangay tests positive of the virus and hog movements severely restricted.
Even tighter mobility restrictions are imposed if two or more barangays test positive of the virus.
The DA now looks to the LGUs to activate additional surveillance groups to help contain the outbreak and implement an indemnification program for the slaughtered hogs.
The agency pays hog raisers P5,000 for each slaughtered swine due up to 20 heads.
As of 29 December 2023, six regions, 10 provinces, 28 municipalities and 71 barangays have active ASF cases, based on BAI data.
