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TACLOBAN — The local government unit (LGU) of Burauen announced on Thursday, February 18, that the African swine fever (ASF) virus has already entered the town.
According to the laboratory result personally handed by Department of Agriculture-8 Regional Executive Director Angel C. Enriquez to Mayor Juanito E. Renomeron, the sample taken from Barangay Pawa contains the ASF virus.
This means that hogs within a 500-meter radius from where the sample was taken in Pawa would be subjected to depopulation as soon as possible.
Dr. Annalou S. Detablan of the Burauen Municipal Agriculturist Office, which is under the leadership of Mrs. Evangeline R. Migue, appealed for affected hog raisers to cooperate.
She said destroying the hogs within the 500-meter radius is the best way to prevent the virus from spreading, adding that the move is meant to protect Burauen’s hog industry.
Dr. Detablan reminded the public that the inability to help cushion the effects of the virus would negatively impact all Burawanons, as it would drive up the prices of alternative meat products and even of fish and other food products.
She advised hog raisers outside the concerned area to strictly follow “bio-security” by ensuring they disinfect themselves before interacting with their animals, to prevent contamination.
Among the measures are installing footbaths, using clean cloths, always wearing slippers or boots, and avoiding giving animals food scraps and other waste materials instead of a proper feed.
Following the development, Burauen LGU is extending the implementation of Executive Order No. 01-2021, which created last January 19 the "Municipal Task Force on Animal-borne Diseases”.
Among other policies, the EO banned the entry of live hogs and pork products from other places as well as the selling of Burauen pork products outside of the town. Tacloban News Update (with a public advisory from LGU Burauen)