The Department of Agriculture (DA) placed several towns in Oriental Mindoro on red alert after the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) confirmed new cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) in three towns of Occidental Mindoro.
BAI on Monday ordered the immediate culling of infected hogs and preventive culling around affected areas as it also directed local government units to strictly monitor swine-related activities within affected towns.
The agency also detected Monday the recurrence of a positive ASF case in Naujan, keeping the Oriental Mindoro town under tight monitoring and movement of hogs within town limits.
BAI confirmed the ASF cases in Occidental Mindoro on Jan. 12, a few days after several barangays in Sta. Cruz and San Jose reported unusual number of swine deaths.
Agriculture spokesman Arnel de Mesa said blood samples sent earlier this month to BAI confirmed seven ASF cases in San Jose and five in Sta. Cruz, and two cases in the municipality of Rizal as of Jan. 17.
ASF cases in the island were first detected in Oriental Mindoro late last year. Pig production in the towns of Naujan and Calapan are now being strictly monitored due to previous ASF cases while the town of Baco is being monitored for the virus.
Under DA regulations, a town is placed under red zone even if only one barangay tests positive, restricting hog movement within the area. Tighter mobility restrictions are imposed if two or more barangays test positive for the virus.
The DA urged LGUs to activate additional surveillance groups and reminded affected farmers for the indemnification of slaughtered hogs.
The DA pays P5,000 for each slaughtered swine due to AFS, with the limit at 20 heads of pigs.
Mindoro province supplies hogs to Metro Manila and to parts of Western Visayas.