Metro Manila, Philippines — More than 450 barangays across the country have active cases of African Swine Fever (ASF), latest government data showed.
As of Aug. 21, the Bureau of Animal Industry reported 458 barangays have recorded active ASF cases, or an 82% hike from 251 on Aug. 8.
The villages are across 115 towns, 32 provinces, and 15 regions.
Dante Palabrica, agriculture assistant secretary for swine and poultry, told reporters the uptick was expected due to the rainy season.
The onset of rains was declared in May. On June 7, there were only 32 barangays with active ASF cases.
“Kahit na ibaon mo ‘yung baboy pag may ASF, pag nabungkal ito, tatama na naman ito sa mga baboy sa area,” Palabrica also said.
[Translation: Even if you bury condemned pigs, once dug out, it could affect pigs in the area again.]
North Cotabato logged the highest number of ASF-hit barangays at 87, followed by Occidental Mindoro at 69, and Batangas at 66.
New cases were also seen in Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Pampanga.
Palabrica said the Department of Agriculture (DA) is doing its best to contain the spread of the virus to the northern areas. He also appealed to local government units to set up first-border checkpoints.
The DA set up checkpoints in Metro Manila and nearby provinces for trucks transporting pigs.
Palabrica said authorities have condemned and buried over 300 hogs from intercepted trucks.
He said the DA aims to begin administering Vietnam’s AVAC ASF Live doses under the government-controlled vaccination on Aug. 30 in Lobo, Batangas.
In a separate interview, Agriculture spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said around 2,000 shots from the emergency procurement of 10,000 vaccines might be rolled out on Friday.
