CALBIGA, Samar — The municipal government of Calbiga, Samar is extending the implementation of a pork holiday amid continued increase in the number of swine infected with African swine fever (ASF).

 Calbiga Mayor Red Nacario issued an executive order extending the pork holiday starting on Saturday, 17 August, until the end of the month.

 Nacario said the ASF has already spread to 17 villages with at least 715 pigs already dying of infection or culled in an effort to control the spread. He added that the ASF spread has affected the livelihood of 89 small hog raisers causing tremendous economic loss to small farmers.

 Calbiga earlier enforced a pork holiday in ASF affected barangays last 1 August, a week after laboratory tests conducted by the Department of Agriculture found that the hogs that mysteriously died in two villages were found positive of the virus that causes ASF.

 Health authorities say that while ASF does not affect the health of the person who has eaten an infected pork, the people who come in contact with the virus can spread it in other places. ASF has a case fatality rate of 100 percent and there remains no vaccine available in the market.

 In his order, Nacario said that while the pork holiday is in effect, slaughtering of pigs other than for personal consumption is prohibited. Likewise, the selling of fresh pork and lechon in public markets, private meat stalls, talipapa, meat shops and lechon stores are also prohibited.

The order also disallows the sale and distribution of frozen, raw and cooked pork chorizo and pork longganisa.