The town of Tiwi in Albay has been identified as one of the areas in the Bicol region with positive cases of African Swine Fever (ASF).

Because of this, 300 pigs in the town were culled, affecting 79 hog raisers.

Heavy equipment was deployed to Barangay Joroan to facilitate the depopulation of pigs in the area affected.

“Nag-conduct po tayo [ng depopulation], lalo na doon sa mga nearby barangays [na] sakop po nung 500-meter radius,” Dr. Pancho Mella, the Provincial Veterinarian of Albay, said. 

Recent tests confirmed seven positive cases, which indicated an outbreak.

“So after the result — several days after, nagluwas po su result so nadagdagan po yung isang positive case in Barangay Joroan, naging apat na po yun. Then yung Barangay Bariis na katabi [ay] nagkaroon po ng tatlo, so in short po naging pito [na] po yung positive case. So that’s indicative na isa na po siyang outbreak,” Mella said.

Authorities said the situation is manageable.

“Actually in coordination with [the] LGU (Local Government Unit), nagkaroon na sila ng mga strict biosecurity measures,” Rodel Tornilla, Regional Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Bicol, said. 

Authorities urged hog raisers to report suspicious cases of ASF to prevent further spread.

“’Pag may mga abnormalities po na namamatay na mga baboy, ipagpaalam po kaagad dito sa Department of Agriculture para malaman natin kung ASF bay un or baka ibang sakit naman,” Tornilla said.