The African swine fever (ASF) outbreak has spread to more areas of the hog industry and the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Tuesday.

Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry showed that as of 21 August, ASF cases have been reported in 15 regions, 32 provinces, 115 municipalities, and 458 barangays.

DA Assistant Secretary for Swine and Poultry Constante Palabrica said the agency will conduct a controlled ASF vaccination Friday in Lobo, Batangas, in response to the rising cases of the highly infectious disease.

“We expected that [increase] because of the rains, and it spread to areas that were previously unaffected,” he said.

Earlier in August, the DA procured ASF vaccines on an emergency basis following reports of an outbreak in parts of Batangas province.

When asked how ASF reached northern provinces, particularly Cagayan and Isabela, Palabrica said, “There is a possibility that the infection came from pigs buried during the peak of the ASF outbreak. As I said, even if a pig with ASF is buried, when it is dug up, it can still affect pigs in the area,” adding that ASF checkpoints are currently strict in inspecting hog shipments.

Palabrica said the DA is also considering incinerating hogs that test positive for ASF.

“Under the Clean Air Act, you cannot burn a pig that died of ASF because burning is prohibited,” the DA official said. “Incineration is another option, but it is a long process. So for now, the dead hogs must be buried, and lime should be applied to prevent the ASF from spreading.”

A total of 10,000 doses of the ASF vaccine from Vietnam arrived in the country on 19 August for emergency inoculation in Batangas province.