The government is on heightened alert to prevent the entry of a deadly virus that may affect the swine industry in the country, the African Swine Fever (ASF).
Department
of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Enrico Garzon, Jr. said that AWF is a deadly
virus that if a pig can contact the virus, 2-10 days it will die eventually and
will also affect the whole herds in just a span of few days.
“The problem
with this virus is that as of now there is no vaccine yet,” Garzon revealed.
Garzon said
that swine is a multi-billion industry in the country, that is why the
government is implementing all possible measures to prevent the entry of the
said virus.
“DA through
the Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) is heightening its monitoring and
surveillance in all point of entry of the country from overseas, whether
airport and seaport, to protect our swine farmers,” he said.
“We are also
closely working with the Bureau of Customs to allow our personnel on x-ray area
for baggage to prevent the entry of meat and meat by-products from affected countries,”
he revealed.
Countries
currently affected with ASF were Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and
China.
However,
Garzon clarified that the public should not panic on ASF since it will not
affect other animals and or human.
“ASF is a
virus-specific on swine. Since it is host specific, it won’t affect on a cow,
or other animals, and even on human,” he said.
Historically,
the first outbreak was recognized as having occurred in 1907 after ASF was first
described in 1921 in Kenya, hence its name has been derived, and it is a
reemerging disease on swine.
Signs of
illness include high fever, weakness, and decreased appetite. The skin may be
reddened, or have blackened lesions, especially on the tail, ears, and lower
legs
DA Secretary
Emmanuel Piñol issued a memorandum, declaring the temporary ban on the
importation of domestic and wild pigs and their products including pork meat
and semen originating from Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and China.
Piñol also
ordered the immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation of the
application and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) import clearance
of the said commodities.
In Caraga
Region, Doctor Dale Franco Llentic, Regional Veterinary Quarantine Officer said
that precautionary measures have been implemented in seaports and airports.
“We are
strictly implementing footbath on points of entry here in Caraga Region as well
as the hanging of streamers to raise awareness of the public on the said
disease,” Llentic said. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA Caraga)
=-###=-
