ASF outbreak contained and limited to Bulacan, Rizal areas – DA

Agriculture Secretary William Dar emphasized in a Monday statement that African swine fever (ASF) incidents were limited to several areas in Bulacan and Rizal, and the disease was thus not affecting the country's entire swine industry.

Specifically, the episodes were limited to Barangay Pritil in Guiguinto, Bulacan; and in several barangays in Rodriguez, San Mateo, and Antipolo in Rizal.

Dar also emphasized that the incidents were considered an "outbreak" and not an "epidemic."

He furthermore warned against igniting fears regarding ASF through unverified and unvalidated reports, as this could irreversibly damage the country’s P260-billion swine industry.

"Around two-thirds or 65 percent of the industry is contributed by small backyard raisers,” Dar said.

Regardless, the ASF episodes in Bulacan and Rizal had been "managed, contained, and controlled," and there was thus no danger the incidents would affect pork supply and prices.

Based on the DA's containment protocol, 7,416 pigs in the one-kilometer radius in ASF these affected areas were depopulated.

Additionally, areas near ASF-infected barangays in Rizal and Bulacan were continuously and strictly being surveilled, with stricter biosecurity and quarantine measures put in place to contain the spread of ASF to other areas. — DVM, GMA News