Earlier this week, it was announced that the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus has reached the province of Benguet. This was confirmed by Dr. Miriam Tiongan, the Benguet Provincial Veterinarian. The disease was detected in pig farms located in the towns of La Trinidad and Tuba. Samples from the farms were collected for testing and analysis by the Animal Disease Diagnostic Reference Laboratory of the Bureau of Animal Industry.
The laboratory confirmed that the samples were indeed infected by the virus. Authorities are still in the process of investigating how the virus entered the province.
The samples were taken from pig farms in Camp 1, Tuba and Beckel, La Trinidad. More than one hundred pigs in Tuba were culled after confirmation that these were indeed compromised by the virus.
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Photo by Gilles Sabrie
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To prevent the further spread of the ASF in the province, Governor Melchor Diclas issued an order that temporarily bans the entry of live pigs into the province. The lockdown will be in effect until such time that a "
declaration is made by the Bureau of Animal Industry - Department of Agriculture of the assurance of the safety of the swine industry". The order was issued on February 5, 2020.
