CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) confirmed on Wednesday that African Swine Fever (ASF) was found in 58 blood samples from pigs in Carcar City, Cebu.
“The Bureau of Animal Industry confirms that 58 out of 149 blood samples tested from Carcar City, Cebu, resulted positive for African Swine Fever last March 1, 2023, using real-time polymerase chain reaction.”
Department of Agriculture—Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI)
“Movement control measures are being implemented, and coordination with the local government units is ongoing,” it added.
Samples were previously collected and sent from the Municipal Veterinary Office of Carcar to the DA-regional BAI’s headquarters. Emergency disease monitoring teams were dispatched by the City Veterinary Office afterward.
DA-BAI urged people who raise pigs to report unusual illnesses and deaths of pigs to the local agriculture and veterinary departments. They should also cease feeding their pigs leftovers from other meals and step up their biosecurity precautions to avoid spreading the disease.
Meanwhile, they advised the public not to panic and to cooperate with the authorities in implementing ASF control protocols in the province.
ASF is a viral disease that spreads quickly among pigs. Humans are not susceptible to the virus, and there will be no adverse effects on human health.