Strict border controls for ASF, bird flu to continue in Cebu

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CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu Provincial Government will keep its strict monitoring, surveillance, and border controls on live hogs and birds.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the province will not lift the ban on live pigs, pork products, and byproducts from areas afflicted with the African Swine Fever (ASF) such as Luzon, Mindanao, and Eastern Visayas. 

“Padayon ang tight controls nato sa borders against ASF that has hit more than 50 provinces. So, padayon ang atong pag prohibit sa atong live hogs, pork, and pork-related products from the entire Luzon, Mindanao, and Region 8,” Garcia said.

(The tight controls on borders against ASF that has hit more than 50 provinces continues. So, we will continue to prohibit live hogs, pork, and pork-related products from the entire Luzon, Mindanao, and Region 8.)

Cebu is one of the country’s largest producers of pork products. 

For poultry products, the governor also said they will continue prohibiting the importation of poultry products and byproducts from areas with confirmed cases of bird flu.

She added that they will not permit the entry of live birds even if they were shipped from areas free of avian influenza. 

“Sa bird flu, we will continue preventing the entry of live birds… I will not risk it,” said Garcia. 

Last March, the Capitol issued an Executive Order (EO) banning the entry of live fowls, poultry products, and byproducts from Luzon after several provinces there recorded cases of H5N1 avian influenza virus. 

They expanded the coverage to include Mindanao last April. 

Cebu remains free of any confirmed cases of ASF and bird flu as of this writing.

/bmjo

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