Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez issued a joint executive order Tuesday, March 7, expanding the total ban on the entry into Negros Occidental and Bacolod City of all live pigs, boar semen, and pork related products from three more areas as a deterrent against the highly contagious African Swine Fever (ASF).
The three new areas included in the ban are the province of Cebu, Camotes Island and Bantayan Island.
Also still included in the ban are Luzon, Mindanao, Region 8, Panay Island, Guimaras Island and other countries affected with ASF as may be declared by the Department of Agriculture.
ASF is a highly contagious disease of swine affecting all ages caused by any of the 23 virus strains with up to 100 percent fatality rate, there being no known treatment and vaccine available, the joint EO said.
The joint EO was issued to provide a common guideline and to harmonize the policies in relation to the pork ban, it said.
Based on a test conducted March 1, the Bureau of Animal Industry – Animal Disease Diagnosis and Reference Laboratory (BAI – ADDRL) confirmed the detection of ASF in pigs from Carcar City, Cebu, the EO added.
Due to this recent development, it is highly imperative to protect the local hog industry of the province, being one of the leading producers of hogs in the country, against the serious threat of ASF, the joint EO said.
Processed pork products, including canned goods, fully-cooked pork chicharon, pork-based seasonings and transshipped items from ASF free areas shall be exempted from the total ban, it said.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Monday had also issued an executive order temporarily banning live pigs, sows, piglets, boar semen, and pork related products from Negros Island.
In her executive order she said blood testing dated March 1 by the BAI – ADDRL confirmed the detection of ASF viral DNA in blood samples obtained as a result of surveillance activities in Carcar City.
Further investigation by the local veterinary office in Carcar City revealed that the pigs, from which the blood samples were obtained, were kept at barangay stockyards together with pigs originating from the from Negros Island, she said.
Negros Occidental and Bacolod City remain ASF free, provincial administrator Rayfrando Diaz stressed.
He said the pigs referred to by Garcia were from Negros Oriental.*