Blood samples from pigs in three towns of Occidental Mindoro have tested negative for the African swine fever (ASF), the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said.
Only last week, the province of Occidental Mindoro set up meat inspection checkpoints and quarantined producers after announcing an ASF outbreak in the towns of San Jose, Santa Cruz, and Rizal.
The blood tests were conducted to secure so-called recognition of active surveillance on ASF (RAS-ASF), which shows there aren’t any active cases of ASF in a specified place. The tests, conducted at the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, confirmed the absence of ASF in the local pig population.
As a result, the municipalities applied for the RAS-ASF from BAI. Aside from assurances of no active ASF cases in the municipality, the certification also serves as a prerequisite for allowing the entry and exit of pigs in Occidental Mindoro.
This measure is implemented to prevent the potential spread of ASF and maintain the biosecurity of pig farms in the province.
Success in mitigating the spread of ASF may be attributed to the effective collaboration between the DA-BAI, local government units, and various agencies. This underscores the importance of coordinated action in preventing the outbreak of infectious animal diseases.
