Mayor Nadie Arceo ordered the lockdown of two barangays in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, where pig deaths were discovered, on Wednesday, June 7.
Movement of pigs in and out of barangays Anahaw and Cabahug is no longer allowed, Arceo said, following the announcement on Tuesday that seven pigs from his town tested positive for African Swine Fever (ASF) in Victorias City.
Arceo said he accepts that the seven pigs that tested positive for ASF in Victorias City were from Barangay Anahaw in his town.
The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) representative in Hinigaran cleared the pigs for sale to Victorias since there was no recorded pig deaths in Barangay Anahaw.
Arceo said following the announcement of Victorias Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez it was discovered that pig deaths had occurred in Barangay Anahaw since May but were not reported.
The hog raisers hid the fact that there were deaths in Anahaw, he said.
In the neighboring Barangay Cabahug there have also been 16 pig deaths, he said.
Blood samples of pigs in the two barangays have been extracted for ASF testing by the PVO, Arceo said.
Arceo said starting Thursday all pigs in Hinigaran must be slaughtered at the town’s new slaughterhouse to ensure that they are healthy.
Meanwhile, Mayor Benjie Miranda confirmed the mass burial of pigs in Kabankalan and said blood samples were also taken for PVO testing to determine their cause of death.
The affected barangays are Binicul and Daan Banwa where pig lockdowns have been imposed, he said.
Pig deaths in Kabankalan City were 181 as of Wednesday, the PVO reported.
Assistance to affected hog farmers is being considered based on available funds, Miranda said.
The Toboso ASF Task Force and the PVO District Field Unit 1 Quarantine Inspectors confiscated 134 packs skinless pork chorizo from Bacolod during a spot inspection at the town’s market, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
The confiscated items valued at P4,500 were buried to prevent the spread of disease, he said.
Bacolod has been tagged as an ASF infected area.
In Sipalay the ASF Task Force headed by Mayor Gina M. Lizares held an emergency meeting attended by the PVO District Field Unit 6 head to discuss immediate biosecurity and preparedness measures to spare the city from swine diseases affecting other LGUs.
There were 11,056 pig deaths from various illnesses representing 9.77 percent of Negros Occidental’s hog population on Wednesday, the PVO reported.
Affected hog raisers are 2,088 and losses were placed at P125,341,250.*
