Kabayan now ASF- affected

KABAYAN, Benguet – This tourist town is now part of the growing list of African Swine flu (ASF) affected municipalities in the Cordillera.

Mayor Fautino Aquisan confirmed that a backyard hog raiser in Poblacion, Kabayan reported the first ASF-related casualty in the municipality.

The mayor said that the farmer could not believe that his hog died of ASF even after confirmatory report from the Provincial Veterinarian Office (PVO) of Benguet.

Some 85 pigs in Poblacion, Kabayan is now facing culling from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Provincial Vet’s Office.

Meanwhile, in Ifugao, the provincial government of Ifugao is now recommending a state of emergency in the whole province despite a lockdown on the entry of live pigs and pork products from outside.

The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) confirmed the presence of the virus that affected the pigs in five municipalities of the province.

According to Ifugao Provincial Veterinarian James Gopeng, areas where there are reported infections were Banaue, Kiangan, Lagawe, Asipulo ken Hingyon.

The PVO initiated the culling of pigs totalling around 160 heads at the affected municipalities. 74 were depopulated in Kingan, 40 in Lagawe, eight in Asipulo and more than 40 in Banaue.

Gopeng said more pigs are expected to be culled in the next few days. He said the hog raisers whose pigs were subjected to culling will be given appropriate assistance.

The PVO suspects that despite the quarantine checkpoints established at the entry and exit points of the province, some managed to sneak in ASF infected pigs in Ifugao.

Gopeng also said the spread of the virus can be caused by people who eat the meat of infected pigs or brought them home in their respective areas.