Tabuk tightens checkpoints over A’can swine disease

CITY OF TABUK Kalinga -- The City Veterinary Office (CVO) has beefed-up quarantine inspections to ensure that no African swine fever (ASF)-infected live pigs and frozen meat products would be sneaked into the province.

Cherylle Andowag, quarantine operation chief, said they were installing additional quarantine check-points in all highway routes entering the city as part of the move.

In a parallel move, the CVO, in partnership with Excell Feeds, invited backyard hog raisers here to a symposium to increase awareness on the ASF.

Even as the ASF strain has not reached Region 2 and the Cordillera, veterinary authorities have declared ASF alert in the area, Andowag assured hog raisers as she encouraged them to help monitor any ASF-suspect case in their areas and immediately report it to authorities.

Participants were taught on proper disposal of infected hogs through killing, burning and burying.

On prevention, Andowag urged hog raisers not to practice swill feeding to prevent the spread of the virus.

 Though the ASF virus does not affect humans, eating of infected meat makes people potential carriers of the virus, hence eating   of such is strictly prohibited, Andowag said. -- (JDP/LL-PIA CAR, Kalinga)