ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Department of Agriculture in Zamboanga Peninsula (DA-9) and the Office of the City Veterinarian (OCVet) have tapped the assistance of the Barangay Information Officer Network (BION) to help contain the spread of the African swine fever (ASF) here.
Dr. Amanel Manalo, of the Animal Health and Welfare Division Bureau of Animal Industry central office, reminded villages on the importance of reporting hog deaths so that authorities can confirm and institute needed protocols.
“We have to be on the same page. We have no vaccine, no treatment for ASF. It’s the understanding of the protocol that what we’re doing is to protect the larger numbers of the population at risk,” Manalo said in a statement Saturday.
Dr. Darwin Lloyd Sulay, DA-9 regulatory division chief, said protocols and reminders for local government and villages must be strictly implemented to control ASF.
“Our main objective is to contain the spread of ASF within this month,” Sulay said in another statement.
Dr. Mario Arriola, OCVet chief, said 1,595 domestic pigs have died while 368 hog raisers are affected so far.
The OCVet has culled 526 hogs to prevent the spread of ASF to non-affected areas.
Meanwhile, the city government and local swine raisers organization launched a swine repopulation program through the distribution and dispersal of piglets to avert shortage of supply. (PNA)
