OFFICIALS OF the different bureaus of the Department of Agriculture (DA) 10 (Northern Mindanao) have warned that the African Swine Fever (ASF), which has been affecting a number of countries, is not only a human health concern but is also a threat to the Philippine swine industry.
Dr. Imer Dante Occeña, veterinarian of DA-10’s Bureau of Animal Industry, said that ASF can cause enormous economic and health losses, although the virus has not yet reached the country.
“(This) needs public awareness kay dako kaayo syag impact sa industry sa baboy (because its impact on the swine industry is big). In fact, it’s worth PHP260 billion (as an industry),” Occeña said during the Talakayan sa PIA (Philippine Information Agency) here.
“Given that (this disease has) 100 percent mortality, kung makasulod diri satung nasud sa Pilipinas dako gyud kaayo atung (if it enters Philippines, we will have big) losses in terms of economic scale,” he added.
ASF is caused by a virus that affects pigs or other members of the swine family, including wild pigs. According to the World Organization for Animal Health, ASF can be spread by live or dead pigs, including pork products.
Its transmission can also occur through contaminated feed and fomites (non-living objects), such as shoes, clothes, vehicles, and knives. It has been reported that there is no approved vaccine against ASF, unlike classical swine fever or “Hog Cholera”, which is caused by a different virus.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, earlier this month, ordered a ban on the import of foreign pork products.
That is why the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) 10, in collaboration with DA-10, has begun inspecting imported frozen meat products to ensure that all the imported pork meat are ASF-free.
Dr. Angelita Barcelona, NMIS-10 technical director, however, said the public should not worry because the ASF virus is not contagious to humans.
DA Memorandum Order No. 22 prohibits the use of catering food wastes/ leftovers from International and Domestic Airport and Seaports as Swine Swill Feed throughout the country, while DA Memorandum Order No. 23 temporarily bans the import of domestic and wild pigs and their products, including pork meat and semen that originate from Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and China.
These countries have been affected by the virus. (Renee Barrio and Justine Gaabucayan, USTP-CDO Interns/PNA)
20
