Measures to curb pig deaths in Negros Occidental town stepped up

BACOLOD CITY — Biosecurity measures are being strengthened in Negros Occidental's sixth district after the discovery of hog deaths in another town.

The report of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) said Ilog town had logged pig deaths from various illnesses.

As of Monday, June 5, pig deaths in Ilog reached 78. Ilog is the lone area in the sixth district that has reported pig deaths.

At least 10,369 hogs in the entire Negros Occidental had died due to different ailments.

The PVO said the number represents 9.1 percent of the province's hog population. It also resulted in losses amounting to P118,149,325.

The PVO quarantine team held a meeting with Ilog officials led by Mayor Paul Alvarez and the town's barangay captains to discuss immediate actions to strengthen animal biosecurity in the town, said Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz.

The team also met with Rep. Mercedes Alvarez of Negros Occidental's sixth district to discuss swine biosecurity threats and help raisers of unaffected areas sell their pigs.

Diaz said the team presented Alvarez with measures being implemented by the provincial government to arrest the spread of pig diseases.

PVO also continued to disinfect empty pig pens in Barangay Sibucao, San Enrique town, which had the highest number of pig deaths in Negros Occidental at 2,618 or 97.25 percent of its hog population.

Dr. Jonic Natividad, Department of Agriculture-Western Visayas regulatory chief, on Monday also stressed the importance of hog raisers implementing strict biosecurity measures to protect their animals from deadly diseases.

He said so far, only one confirmed African swine fever (ASF) case in Negros Occidental was detected in Pulupandan town.

Negros Occidental sent its pig samples directly to the Bureau of Animal Industry in Metro Manila for testing to reduce the waiting time, Natividad said.

The results are then directly sent back to the PVO.

"It is not advisable for humans to consume pork from sick or suspected to be sick pigs," he said.

Natividad said trials in the Philippines have shown that Vietnam's ASF vaccine is effective in controlling the disease.

The Vietnamese producer of the vaccine is applying for a Food and Drug Administration permit to distribute the vaccines in the Philippines, he said.

Whether the national government will distribute the vaccines for free to hog farmers is being discussed.

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said if there is an approved vaccine against ASF, the provincial government may consider buying it.

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