DA places 8 Davao Occidental barangays on lockdown amid African swine fever outbreak

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has placed eight barangays of Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental on lockdown to prevent the spread of African swine fever which kills pigs, DA Secretary William Dar said Monday.

“Theories are being investigated as to how the virus reached the isolated town,” Dar said.

Aside from these eight barangays, Dar also announced that seven barangays in Malita, also in Davao Occidental, are under surveillance.

Prior to Dar’s announcement, at least 1,000 pigs already died in Don Marcelino due to ASF.

On Sunday, Dar also said the DA would need additional funding to address the ASF outbreak in Davao Occidental since some of the allocated budget for such incidents have already been spent to aid victims of the recent Taal Volcano eruption. —KG, GMA News