ASF-positive hogs intercepted at QC

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said Friday that a shipment of 70 hogs was intercepted at a checkpoint along Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City.

This comes after the BAI discovered shipments of hogs showing clinical signs of African swine fever (ASF), including mortality, prompting immediate confiscation last Thursday.

Test results returned showed the seized hog positive for ASF.

According to the BAI, the shipment is scheduled to be condemned on Friday.

To recall, the Department of Agriculture (DA) on August began placing livestock checkpoints initially in Luzon areas, manned by BAI personnel and the Philippine National Police (PNP), to prevent ASF spread following its outbreak in some areas in Batangas Province.

Nearly 500 ASF-infected pigs nationwide have been intercepted since then.

Moreover, some meat products found with forged certificates of meat inspection and tampered manufacturing dates had also been immediately seized.

According to BAI, the nearly 500 pigs, if they had made it past checkpoints, could have reached Ilocos, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Bulacan, and Cagayan, aggravating ASF spread and putting more risk to public health.

“This operation is crucial in stopping the ‘ping pong’ movement of the ASF virus between the northern and southern regions of the country,” DA Assistant Secretary for Swine and Poultry Dr. Constante Palabrica, said.

“We urge legitimate traders to ensure that all their transport documents are valid and compliant with regulations. Let us work together to protect the animal industry and safeguard the livelihood of Filipino farmers,” he added.

Chickens are also being checked to prevent the spread of avian flu or bird flu, BAI said.