The continued travel of hog traders have raised concern among ASF Task Force members and authorities that these could potentially be carriers of the virus. (PIA Bohol/photo from RVO)
CORTES, Bohol (PIA)—A day after veterinary authorities submitted for negative confirmation the last collected blood samples from African Swine Fever (ASF) index cases in Poblacion Sur, Batuan, Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado has declared another infection in two barangays: Bayongan San Miguel and nearby Los Angeles, Ubay.
The two would be the 3rd and 4th ASF cases in Bohol in the most recent months.
Through Executive Order No. 59 series of 2024, the governor declared as ASF-infected area the 100-meter radius from the pig pen of Joseph Tenio, Ferdinand Japos, and Jesrel Japos of Purok 6 of Los Angeles, Ubay.
Also declared as infected-area is the 100-meter radius from the backyard farm of Manuel Bontog and Jun Carnice of Purok 4 of the same barangay, and 100 meters from the backyard farm of Junadeth Santorinas, Jessica Guimbalena, Rogelio Rendon and Junalyn Gonzaga of Purok 4 Bayongan, San Miguel.
Within these areas, all live pigs of all ages within the 100-meter premises of the said farms are ordered stamped out, whether these are confirmed positive of ASF by laboratory tests or not.
The order is based on the Department of Agriculture (DA) Memorandum Circular No 10, series of 2019 and Administrative Order No 22, series of 2020, which the government has laid out as guidelines in the veterinary quarantine movement protocols to curb the eventual spread of the highly fatal to hogs animal disease.
As the order talks about mandatory depopulation of swine in the surrounding 100 meters of the indexed cases, it also directs veterinary authorities to do mandatory testing in quarantine areas and random testing in buffer areas outside the declared quarantine and infected areas.
It was last on Nov. 21 when reports of the multiple swine deaths in Barangay San Vicente San Miguel reached the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPV).
Immediately, a composite team from the OPV conducted blood sample collection and had these examined by the DA POCKIT laboratory and veterinary analyzer in Ubay, of which some of the samples tested positive for ASF.
While the authorities sent these samples to Central Laboratory in Cebu for confirmation, local authorities immediately implemented the quarantine protocols mandated for ASF outbreaks.
San Miguel Mayor Ian Gil Mendez shared that the vast flat lands and the porous boundaries in San Vicente was a huge challenge for local quarantine teams manning quarantine checkpoints.
It was not ascertained how the virus was able to slip through, but authorities noted two possible causes: boar-for-hire services and salvage slaughter.
During the recent Kapihan sa PIA, veterinarian Dr. Domino Bayron said the culture of salvaging could be a potential channel for the virus to get past the checkpoints.
Upon seeing that government authorities have started depopulation operations before pigs could be tested, owners who try to recover the costs of feed slaughter the livestock and sell them, or offer them at a pay-later scheme popular in the rural areas. (RAHC/PIA Bohol)
