Iloilo City reports its first ASF case

The Iloilo City government on Thursday said it has implemented quarantine measures after its first case of African swine fever (ASF) has been detected.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the Iloilo City public information office said the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported to Mayor Jerry P. Tre?as that out of the 17 samples, one turned out positive for ASF.

“We will have to depopulate all hogs within the 500-meter radius. The animals will be buried properly. Any dead pig should be reported right away, and should not be thrown in our waterways,” Tre?as said.

The local government unit (LGU) imposed quarantine measures within the 500-meter radius of the ASF case in Zone 5 Barangay Tacas in Jaro district.

According to Tre?as, the city’s ASF Task Force is already working with barangay officials to ensure that protocols will be followed.

The LGU is also working on giving possible financial assistance to affected owners in the concerned area.

Slaughterhouse disinfection is regularly implemented and the hogs are slaughtered immediately upon arrival, the city government said.

Public markets also strictly disallow hogs coming from the ASF-affected areas, it added.

In October, the municipality of Oton in Iloilo was declared a red zone after some hogs tested positive for ASF.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. issued Executive Order No. 460 prohibiting the exit from the red zone of live hogs and pork products including frozen and fresh pork products for 10 days starting October 17. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News