Pigs | Stock Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The African Swine Fever (ASF) has spread to more localities here, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) reports.
The BAI, in its latest National Zoning and Movement Plan for ASF dated March 27 and released on Thursday, March 30, confirmed detecting the presence of the deadly swine fever in at least 10 cities and towns in Cebu province.
These are the cities of Bogo, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Talisay, and the towns of Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, San Fernando, Sibonga, and Tuburan. This brings the total number of ASF-afflicted areas in Cebu to 18.
Cebu has a total of 50 local governments, including the three independent cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu.
The island province lost its status as an ASF-free province last March 1 when authorities detected the virus from samples of slaughtered meat in Carcar City.
The provincial government had implemented its own anti-ASF measures and policies after questioning the methods BAI introduced to other parts of the country.
This means there are no restrictions on the transportation of live pigs and pork products, and no culling of hogs within a 500-meter radius of an identified infected zone.
ASF, while deadly to swine, does not pose any threats to human, and consuming meat from affected areas remain safe.
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