Swine flu reaches Luzon

We are not in an epidemic stage yet. We have yet to see how fast the virus can spread.

CHINA has recovered from the incidents of the African swine flu as the Philippines confirms ASF presence in at least two provinces. CHINA DAILY

Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar on Monday confirmed the cause of death of thousands of pigs in Rizal and Bulacan was due to the African swine fever (ASF).

The confirmation came after weeks of tests on blood samples taken from the affected animals.

“We received late last week the laboratory test results coming from the United Kingdom on polymerase chain reaction test. Twenty blood samples had been sent and, out of these, 14 were positive with ASF,” Dar said.

The blood samples were tested at the World Reference Laboratory in Pirbright, England, which is also the OIE Reference Laboratory for ASF.

He disclosed that affected areas include Barangays San Jose, Macabud, San Isidro, San Rafael and Mascap in Rodriguez and Cupang in Antipolo, Rizal and Guiguinto in Bulacan.

“While it is conclusive that it is positive with ASF, how virulent that virus we have yet to understand. We are still waiting on whether the virus affecting the hog areas in the country is weak or virulent,” Dar disclosed.

The second test, which is expected to be out in a week, will show the intensity of the virus affecting the pigs.

“We are not in an epidemic stage yet. We have yet to see how fast the virus can spread,” he added.

The Agriculture chief said 7,416 pigs have been culled so far. These include all affected hogs, as well as those which have not been affected but are located within the one-kilometer radius of the affected facilities.

Of these numbers, 7,223 were from Rizal and 193 from Bulacan.

Currently, the DA is verifying reports of possible ASF cases in other areas, but declined to disclose the sites.

“As I’ve said, we are already almost in the fourth week and the latest feedback from the ground, particularly from the Rizal and Bulacan provinces, there’s no more disease,” Dar confirmed,

“Areas affected earlier by the swine disease is now negative of the virus,” he added.

Upon receipt of reports about the increased swine deaths from backyard raisers, the DA immediately opened a probe to manage the probable disease outbreak beginning 19 August.

According to Dar, the DA has successfully managed the issue, noting that a misstep could erode the gains and competitiveness of the country’s P260 billion swine industry that provides and sustains the livelihood of millions of Filipino families.

The Bureau of the Animal Industry said the swine industry is one of the major contributors to agricultural growth in the country, making up 16 percent of the sector’s gross earnings.

“We commend our Crisis Management Team on Swine for overseeing the vigorous implementation of appropriate measures to effectively manage, contain and control the situation, as well as provide timely and accurate information for all stakeholders and the general public,” Dar said.

According to the DA chief, there is no need to panic despite the confirmation of the ASF because the agency remains “on top of the situation.”

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia already said the possible entry of the deadly swine disease spreading out across Asia is among the threats to inflation this year.

Meanwhile, Samahang Industriya ng Magsasaka chair Rosendo So told reporters that the public should not worry about pork supply.

“In ASF-affected countries like China and Hong Kong, the prices of pork have even gone up. In the Philippines, the public should not worry about supply even with the Christmas season coming. Our only worry is if the disease spreads,” So said.

He added that pork prices have not moved much at P120 to P125 per kilogram.

Currently, the DA has a P25 million fund and an additional P82 million financial assistance from the Department of Budget and Management to prevent the spread of the disease. This includes a P3,000 compensation for affected hog raisers.

“It is crucial that the government makes available additional funding to strengthen biosecurity systems and is not a replacement of existing DA funding,” Dar said.

He added that the Cabinet has approved the creation of a National Task Force on Swine Disease to be chaired by the DA.

It will also tap the Departments of Finance, Interior and Local Government and National Defense to tighten “quarantine measures” and prevent the spread of the disease to other provinces.

Dar said the task force would also install foot baths in all airports and seaports, where all passengers would be required to walk on to wash away any trace of the swine disease.

For years, hog raisers have been urging the government to set up animal diagnostic laboratories that would ensure the speedy diagnosis of emerging animal disease, noting that it is less expensive to prevent the disease than disinfect the affected areas.

To halt the outbreak of the deadly hog virus, the DA prohibited hog growers from feeding pigs with food scrap or swill feed as it poses a heightened risk of food-and-mouth disease and ASF.

Dar said the ASF virus could have been spread to local farms by food scraps from hotels and restaurants or through Filipinos who brought in pork products from countries affected by the disease.

According to the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI), swill feeding is a common practice among backyard hog raisers.

The federation said backyard hog raisers, which accounts for two-thirds or 65 percent of hog production in the country, are more likely to practice swill feeding.

The NFHFI also noted that the slow pace in the growth of the swine industry is caused by the high production cost brought about by pricey feeds and medication.

In 2018, the DA already banned feeding hogs of wastes from malls, hotels, restaurants and airlines as a protocol against possible ASF outbreak.

Although the virus has reached Philippine livestock, Dar said pork being sold in the market is safe to eat.

He reassured that all hogs were inspected before being slaughtered, and are marked with a seal from the National Meat Inspection Service before being sold in markets.

The Agriculture chief ate pork together with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and hog industry stakeholders on Monday morning to prove his claim.

To maintain meat and its products are safe for human consumption, Dar said the DA has already issued three administrative orders, including guidelines, in securing certificates of farm disease-free status in outbreak areas.

The DA has also revised guidelines on the local movement of swine outside outbreak areas and veterinary quarantine movement protocol during animal disease emergencies.

Meanwhile, Dar said one DA employee is currently under investigation over reports that he could have allowed the entry of hot meat from China.

The Philippine is now the latest Asian country affected by the viral swine disease. Outbreaks of ASF have already been reported in China, Vietnam and Myanmar, resulting in millions of pigs being culled.