SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office in Mimaropa has sent a team from the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL) in Occidental Mindoro to help stop the spread of African swine fever (ASF).

Dr. Kristofferson Gonzales of the Provincial Veterinary Office said that having the RADDL team in the province will help speed up detection and containment of the virus as the nearest testing center is in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro which can take four hours of land travel.

“[Malapit] na po yung pagdadalhan ng mga samples at [mabilis na] maite-test sa loob po ng isang araw. Malalaman na po ang resulta ng mga isinumiteng blood samples sa loob ng isang araw, 

[The laboratory will be more accessible and blood samples will be tested faster. We can know its results in a day],” Gonzales said.

The RADDL team, which is stationed in the municipality of Sta. Cruz is tasked to detect ASF in blood samples from swine in the province through laboratory tests. 

“Ang team po namin ay nahahati sa dalawa, yung nasa regulatory [section] bilang surveillance team at nasa laboratory. Yung surveillance po natin ang mangangalap ng blood samples ng may mga sakit [na baboy],”

[Our team is divided into two – those who are in the regulatory section that acts as a surveillance team, and those who are in the laboratory. The surveillance team will be collecting blood samples from infected swine] Dr. Dave Biñas of RADDL explained.

The RADDL’s surveillance team coordinates with the municipal local government units with confirmed or possible cases of ASF to gather blood samples for testing. This is vital in determining where to perform depopulation.

According to the DA Administrative Order 22 series of 2020, depopulation is “the rapid and deliberate killing of infected, potentially infected, or contact animals in an attempt to ‘stamp out’ disease and prevent it from spreading to a healthy population” of swine using humane culling.

When three blood samples tested positive for ASF infection, a depopulation within a 500-meter radius will be performed.

At present, three municipalities, namely: San Jose, Rizal, and Sta. Cruz has confirmed ASF cases in the province, and depopulation was conducted in areas with confirmed cases.

“Hoping na in control na sa situation kasi wala na rin naman na pong reported na mga namamatay doon sa lugar. Masasabi kong effective yung early depopulation doon sa mga lugar na nabanggit ko,”

[We are hoping that we will be in control of the situation as there are no additional cases of swine deaths in those areas. I can say that the early depopulation in those areas are effective] Gonzales shared.

The Provincial Veterinary Office encourages the public to immediately report cases of swine diseases or deaths in their area to help with the early detection of possible ASF cases. Hog raisers may contact their agriculture technicians or report directly to their Municipal Agriculture Office. (DSG/PIA MIMAROPA - Occidental Mindoro)