DA Caraga, BAI and LGU Forges Effort to Prevent Entry of ASF Virus

As the clock is ticking for the country on in its campaign to prevent the entry of the deadly African Swine Fever (ASF) virus, the Department of Agriculture Caraga, Bureau of Animal Industry and local government units pooled its resources to shield the region from the entry of the said virus. 

A stakeholder’s forum on ASF was conducted by DA Caraga through the Livestock Section yesterday to aware swine industry players in the region against the disease.

The virus that posed danger to the swine industry had lately encroached 15 countries in Africa, Europe and some parts of Asia.

“Currently there is no vaccine and medications to fight back the virus, hence, it is a fatal disease,” Dr. Dale Franco Llentic, Caraga Regional Veterinary Quarantine Officer said.

He explained that ASF is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs of all ages, characterized by high fever, loss of appetite, reddening of the skin and hemorrhages of the internal organs, and death which follows between 2-10 days on the average and mortality can be as high as 100%.

“The only way to contain the disease is through culling or depopulation of the swine in an infected farm such as what had been done in China,” he said.

Historically, the first outbreak was recognized as having occurred in 1907 after ASF was first described in 1921 in Kenya, Africa hence its name has been derived, and it is a reemerging disease on swine.  

However, he clarified that the ASF virus would not affect human. “Physically, ASF virus would affect human but the impact is on economic aspect, since it is a big loss of the swine industry if the entry of such would not be prevented,” Llentic emphasized.

He said that they are focusing on its monitoring and surveillance on the major point of entry in the region such as in Nasipit Port, Lipata Port in Surigao and Pulang Lupa, Trento Agusan del Sur.

The provincial government of Agusan del Norte established a quarantine area in Carmen, Agusan del Norte.

“Quarantine effort is critical in this time so our personnel had been fielded to strictly implement the procedure,” Llentic said.

Entry of domestic and wild pigs and their products including pork meat and semen from affected countries are strictly prohibited based on the memorandum issued by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol since last year.

Edelmira Luminarias, Livestock Program Coordinator appealed to all livestock stakeholders to support the campaign against the entry of the said ASF virus.

“I am appealing to all livestock stakeholders as well as the public to support our effort to prevent the entry of the virus. If you have kin abroad, especially from affected countries, advised them not to bring in as pasalubong any pork products when they got home.” Luminarias said.

Caraga Region’s inventory on swine, as per Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data of 2018, there are about 214,486 heads in smallholder raisers or backyard and 11,301 heads on commercial raisers. (Aurelius P. Arais/DA Caraga)

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