African swine fever hits 33 Pangasinan towns

The Department of Agriculture has reported that 33 towns in Pangasinan have been stricken by African swine fever (ASF), affecting thousands of hog raisers.

The Department of Agriculture in the Ilocos Region (DA-Region I) said on Monday, August 17, that it recorded at least 2,183 hog raisers whose farms have been struck by the disese, leading to the culling of 16,106 hogs.

There are 4 cities and 44 towns in Pangasinan.

DA-Region I also reported that ASF was also found in 6 towns in La Union, while the provinces of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur remain “green areas,” or still free of the fast-spreading disease.

Dr Florentino Adame, DA-Region I’s regulatory division chief, assured the public that the culling affected only 4% of the region’s total hog population, and that this only hurt the local economy at a “minimal” level.

Adame also said in an interview on DWCM Aksyon Radio Pangasinan that the local practice of “apagan” may lead to the quick transmission of ASF.

Apagan entails killing a pig and dividing the meat among residents, whether for purchase at a low price, or as gifts.

Adame says that there is no vaccine yet for ASF, and while the virus cannot be transmitted to humans, hog traders are encouraged to adhere to the rules and regulations set by the National Meat Inspection Service. – Rappler.com