ASF WATCH. Joint teams of the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry, National Meat Inspection Service, Philippine National Police and Quezon City government conduct a checkpoint near the Balintawak Market in EDSA, Quezon City on Aug. 15, 2024. The DA reported Friday (Sept. 13) that 400 ASF-infected hogs intercepted in various checkpoints in Metro Manila have been condemned. (PNA file photo by Joan Bondoc)
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday reported the condemnation of hundreds of African swine fever (ASF)-infected hogs that were intercepted in various checkpoints in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“Mga 400 na iyong ibinaon naming may sakit at para kaming nagpapatintero nitong mga biyaherong bumibili ng may sakit (We have buried around 400 infected hogs, and we have been like playing block and catch with transporters trying to buy infected hogs),” DA Assistant Secretary for Swine and Poultry Constante Palabrica said in an interview.
He said stringent biosecurity or border control measures are just one of the DA’s key strategies in controlling the resurgence of ASF cases in the country.
To date, Palabrica said more than 70 personnel of the DA and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) are deployed at checkpoints in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Ongoing vaccination
Meanwhile, Palabrica said the 41 vaccinated healthy and ASF-free hogs in two backyard farms in Lobo, Batangas are continuously monitored.
“Ngayong araw na ito ay ika-labing-apat na araw mula noong ating binakunahan iyong first batch sa Lobo. At ngayong araw din na ito ay kukunan ng dugo upang makita kung nag-react ba iyong baboy (Today is the 14th day since the vaccination of the first batch in Lobo. And today, blood sampling is scheduled to identify if the vaccinated hogs reacted to the vaccines),” he said, citing the need to monitor the development of antibodies among vaccinated growers.
Based on studies, he said hogs should be able to develop around 40 percent antibodies during the 14th to 15th day, and 90 to 95 percent antibodies after 30 days.
Palabrica, however, said the fatalities among the vaccinated hogs rose from five to six.
He underscored the need for a stringent biosecurity measure even among vaccinated hogs to ensure the efficacy of vaccines upon the development of antibodies.
To date, other remaining vaccinated hogs display positive responses to the AVAC live vaccines.
The DA earlier vowed to exhaust all 10,000 doses of AVAC live vaccines in Batangas within September. (PNA)
