Foto

Only 1/3 of 20,000 hogs culled were infected with African swine fever —DA

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Saturday clarified that only one-third of 20,000 pigs that were slaughtered in various areas in Luzon were infected by African swine fever (ASF).

"Only one-third ng 20,000 na na-cull namin ay ASF-infected. All the rest natapat lang na nasa one-kilometer radius," DA spokesperson Noel Reyes said in an interview on Dobol sa News TV aired on GMA News TV.

The DA spokesman said culling the pigs, whether infected or not, within the one-kilometer radius of suspected farms is necessary to contain the ASF virus from spreading.

"'Yun po ang protocol, 1-7-10 protocol. Within one kilometer, may sakit o wala, kailangan patayin kasi para ang virus ma-contain," Reyes said.

Under the protocol, quarantine checkpoints are set up in areas within a 1-kilometer radius of suspected farms—monitoring the movement of live pigs, pork, and pork products.

Within a 7-kilometer radius, authorities are conducting surveillance and limiting animal movement.

Farm owners within the 10-kilometer radius are mandated to report any disease to the DA.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar earlier threatened legal action against hog traders ignoring strict animal quarantine rules .

The 20,000 pigs that so far have been culled or have died because of the disease in the Philippines since last month was a small fraction of the Philippines’ swine herd that was estimated at 12.7 million heads as of July 1.

A highly contagious hemorrhagic disease, ASF infects pigs, warthogs, European wild boar and American wild pigs , according to World Organisation for Animal Health or Office International des Epizooties (OIE).

While it may affect the swine industry, it poses no threat to human health. “We want to reiterate to the public that ASF is not a threat to human health,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III emphasized. —Ted Cordero\/KG, GMA News