Gov Aumentado issues EO to

contain ASF in San Miguel

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov 29 (PIA)—For the third time after the African Swine Fever (ASF) manifested in the Philippines, the dreaded hog disease that has the capability to wipe out local pig population emerged again in two backyard farms in San Vicente, San Miguel, Bohol.

To this, Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado issued Executive Order No. 52, series of 2024, declaring ASF infected premises, quarantine areas and outside quarantine areas in San Vicente San Miguel and detailing quarantine protocols as well as disinfection procedures for the community to help contain the infection.

It may be recalled that last November 22, the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian received reports of multiple swine deaths in barangay San Vicente.

By the following day, a team from the OPV went to the area, collected blood samples from the affected farms in Purok 3 and Purok 6, and submitted these for examination at the Department of Agriculture (DA) POCKIT Central PCR Veterinary Analyzer.

Of the 13 samples submitted for examination, 3 turned out positive for ASF, according to veterinarian Meydallen Paman, officer in charge of the OPV.

The disease which manifested here, unlike the ones in San Vicente Pilar and Mariveles in Dauis last year, took a week after the symptoms manifested before the deaths came, she added.

Unconfirmed reports said that when pig farmers noticed the symptoms, they tried butchering the pig and cooked them, further allowing the virus to spread to other farms.

The OPV composite team which investigated the index cases has the Executive Order declaring the 100 meter radius from the backyard farm of Nemesio Hoyle of Purok 3 and Josephine Degello of Purok 6 as infected areas.

In here, in line with the DA and the Bohol ASF inter-agency Task Force protocols, all pigs were depopulated whether the ASF confirmatory tests results showed positive or negative.

Immediately, we had depopulation drives, and we are just happy that the community understood the intention, and we wish to credit the local officials of San Miguel for this, Dr Paman said.

Here too, there would be no movement or transportation of pigs within the next three months, pens which yield animals with positive for ASF results would be cordoned off, entry only for authorized personnel doing disinfection for the next 30 days.

To further prevent the accidental spreading of the virus by other potential carriers, animals here would be leashed and confined within the area for the next 15 days.

Households with pigs testing positive for ASF, should install foot mats with disinfectants, in their homes and residents are to observe proper disinfection and sanitation when leaving the house.

In cases when the ASF could also be carried by contaminated feeds and implements, these remaining feeds and farm equipment used prior to the infection, should be burned or buried.

The EO also declared the remaining portions of Purok 3, Purok 6 and Puroks 1, 2, 4 and 7 of the same barangay as ASF Quarantine area.

Here, all pigs would be tested through Veterinary PCR Test, those testing positive of ASF would be depopulated, and all pigs within 100 meter radius of the new case would be depopulated.

For pigs outside the 100 meter radius from the new case, if the test shows negative of the ASF, slaughter of these is allowed and to be consumed within the area, or these are depopulated.

The outside of the Quarantine area, as to the EO, names all puroks of Barangay Bayongan, San Isidro, Poblacion, Santo Nino, Bugang, Cambangay Norte and all areas adjacent and contiguous to San Vicente.

In these areas, there would be continuous disease surveillance and complete collection of blood samples for ASF testing, and continuing information, education and communication campaigns.

As ASF surveillance area, the EO places all remaining puroks of Bayongan, San Isidro, Poblacion, Santo Nino, Bugang and Cambangay Norte and all barangays of San Miguel.

Here, composite teams from the OPV performs continuous disease surveillance, information education and communication campaign and random collection of blood samples for ASF.

As this happened, San Miguel Mayor Ian Gil Mendez said they would be declaring state of emergency in town.

As of November 28, the ASF has so far been contained, with no other new cases in other areas outside the infected area.

Governor Aumentado, who sits as chairman of the ASF Interagency Task Force, has ordered the OPV to man the operation until the disease would be contained.

He also assured the provincial government’s support, including support funds for depopulated pigs. (PIABohol)

CONTAINED. OIC Provincial veterinarian Dr. Meydallyn Paman reported that with San Miguel Mayor Ian Gil Mendez, Bohol has mobilized teams to man the quarantine areas and checkpoints as well as collect blood samples, monitor and do disease surveillance to make sure that the virus remains contained and eliminated within the index areas. (PIABohol)

TEST FROM OUTSIDE GOING IN. Bohol ASF Task Force Chairman Gov Erico Aristotle Aumentado ordered the OPV and its teams to start testing for the hog disease from the 500 meters radius of the index cases and then move towards the center, to make sure that the disease could not spread any further. (PIAbohol)