More ASF cases detected in Negros Occ.

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – More cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) were detected in two local government units in the province of Negros Occidental.

San Carlos City mayor Rene Gustilo told reporters on Wednesday that the two pigs that died in two barangays were positive for ASF.

He said the area where the two pigs were located was cordoned off within a 500-meter radius.

Gustilo identified the two barangays as Rizal and Bulwangan.

He said they are encouraging backyard hog raisers in the affected areas to resort to culling but should be strictly limited in the isolation radius.

Gustilo said the hog population in the locality is placed at 1,000 heads.

On Monday, cases of ASF were detected in three barangays of Kabankalan City in southern Negros Occidental, based on reports of the Bureau of Animal Industry as disclosed by City Agriculturist Ricky Muscosa.

After being informed of positive ASF cases, Muscosa said they immediately implemented culling within the 500-meter radius where the hogs died, and also extended assistance to affected hog raisers in burying their dead pigs.

But Muscosa said the number of hog deaths appeared to be slowing down, as they were able to cordon off the affected ASF areas of Barangays 6, Linao, and Binicuil.

As of the July 9 report of the Provincial Animal Biosecurity Incident Management Team, Kabankalan City has logged 792 hog deaths, representing 4.39 percent of its 18,021-pig population.

Muscosa also reported that they also localized the slaughtering of pigs in Kabankalan City and strengthened monitoring in the barangays.

The first ASF cases in the province were detected in Pulupandan town.