Bohol province retains ASF-free status
A foreign national enjoys the white sand beach in Panglao, Bohol. | File photo
The Bohol provincial government had managed to retain its ASF-free status after it immediately contained the spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF) that was detected in backyard hog farms in Pilar town, the provincial government said.
Last August 22, the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian reported that the province was again given a “dark green zone” classification, which would mean that the disease had not been detected in livestock in other parts of the province.
“The Province of Bohol maintained its African Swine Fever (ASF) Green (free) Zone status after a review from the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) after containing an outbreak reported last July,” the provincial government said.
In July, the ASF was detected in hogs that were grown in Barangay San Vicente in Pilar town, “prompting the Provincial Government of Bohol to conduct a series of protocols to prevent the virus from spreading to other areas in the province.”
After a series of reviews and test, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said that they no longer detected any other case of ASF in the province.
“Following a review of the submitted documents, including the narrative report and ad laboratory results, it has been established that the timely depopulation, through cleaning, and disinfection protocols were implemented,” BAI Director Paul Limson said in a letter dated August 17, 2023.
Limson sent the letter to Angel Enriquez, the Regional Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas.
Limson’s letter was in response to an earlier letter that Enriquez wrote on the color zoning of the municipality of Pilar from Red Zone.
“Therefore, we acknowledge your request and will maintain the zoning status of the municipality of Pilar, Bohol as a Dark Green (Free) Zone. This is contingent upon the absence of other confirmed cases in the farm and other barangays within 15 days as per the official communication, along with the confirmed laboratory results provided to this office,” Limson said in his letter.
Governor Erico Aris Aumentado, for his part, said that Bohol would “continue its strict biosecurity measures and regular monitoring to avoid ASF from entering the island as part of Province of Bohol’s commitment to protecting the 6-billion peso hog industry and the 48,000 Boholanos participating in hog-raising, in line with the Strategic Change Agenda.”
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