MANILA, Philippines – As the number of villages in the country with active African Swine Fever (ASF) cases rises rapidly, some hog raisers in areas hit by the deadly disease are in panic and trying to cut their losses by moving their animals elsewhere.
On Thursday, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) seized two trucks in Quezon City carrying 87 hogs and 14 hogs respectively. Pigs from the first truck tested positive for ASF while the pigs from the second truck showed clinical signs of ASF. The trucks reportedly came from Quezon province south of Manila and were on their way to Pangasinan province in the north.
Seventeen barangays in Quezon province had active ASF cases as of August 8, the latest update from the DA, while Pangasinan had none.
“The blood tests showed the hogs are positive for the ASF virus, so we have no choice but to condemn them and dispose of their carcass at the central burial site we have identified,” said Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary Dante Palabrica.
The BAI seized 60 more hogs on the same day in Tandang Sora, Quezon City over fake permits and counterfeit veterinary health certificates. The transporter was alleged to have come from Sariaya, Quezon and the pigs were to be slaughtered in Caloocan City.
With vaccination yet to start, the government has set up livestock checkpoints in parts of Quezon City, Valenzuela City, and in the provinces of Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite.
Palabrica, a veterinarian with 40 years experience in the hog industry, said a mere visual inspection of the pigs would immediately raise suspicion that they carry the virus.
“The pigs are undersized and no hog raiser worth his salt would sell them at these weights,” he said.
The onset of the rainy season has contributed to the rapid increase in active ASF cases in the country. Last May 28, a day before weather bureau PAGASA declared the onset of the rainy season in 2024, the Philippines recorded active cases in 16 towns in 19 provinces. Two months later, the disease had spread to 64 towns in 22 provinces, according to the latest bulletin from BAI released on August 8. The number of barangays with active ASF cases rose from 30 to 251 or more than eight times.
If an area does not detect the disease early on nor implement effective biosecurity measures, hog raisers have no choice but to cull even the healthy pigs to prevent risk of the virus spreading. The BAI recommends culling ASF-positive and exposed pigs within a 500-meter radius.
‘Unscrupulous’ traders responsible for virus spread?
The DA said on Friday that that these incidents confirm their suspicions that “unscrupulous traders selling diseased pigs are responsible for the rapid spread of ASF virus.”
“Concerning siya in the sense na ayun nga napatunayan ito na positive, ‘pag dumating ito sa mga destinasyon nila at kunwari mamimili din doon pa ng additional, ang daling kumalat ng virus,” DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said on Friday, August 16, commenting on the seized hogs that tested positive.
“It only shows as well na ‘yung mga suspicions before, talagang mga biyahero ang main source ng pagkalat, transmission ng virus.”
(It’s concerning in the sense that they’ve been proven to be positive, when these arrive in their destinations — and the traders make it appear they will be buying additional hogs — the virus can easily spread. It only shows as well the suspicions before that transporters are the main source of the spread, transmission of virus.)
Batangas recently declared a state of calamity following the spread of ASF in the province. As of August 8, a total of 32 barangays in the southern Luzon province had active ASF cases from only 1 barangay last May 28.
Vaccination next week?
Meantime, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is eyeing to start vaccination of hogs by Tuesday next week.
“[‘Y]ung ating supplier nag-donate ng 2,000 doses at darating dito sa Biyernes at hopefully ang target namin ay maumpisahan na yung pagbakuna by Tuesday next week,” Tiu Laurel said in an interview on Thursday, August 15.
(Our supplier donated 2,000 doses and these will arrive on Friday. Hopefully, our target is to start vaccination by Tuesday next week.)
Tiu Laurel said in July that the initial vaccines that the DA procured will arrive by September. Batangas, with 32 barangays hit by ASF, is a priority province for the 10,000 doses which the government got under emergency procurement.
The agriculture secretary said on Friday that 10,000 doses is a small amount but helpful if they can isolate one to three villages.
He said the government will resort to imports if the situation worsens.
“If we do not vaccinate as soon as possible…then there will be a shortage of local pigs,” said Tiu Laurel. “But of course there is always the option of importation.”
The Food and Drug Administration recently granted Vietnam’s AVAC vaccine a certificate of product registration under monitored release, for restricted use only by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
Agricultural group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) raised alarm that 150,000 doses of AVAC vaccines which expired in March might still be used.
SINAG then urged the government to let other brands of ASF vaccines enter the country. The DA has since clarified that the expired doses will not be used.
The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) previously warned against the use of sub-standard vaccines, as these “may not confer any protection against ASF and risks spreading vaccine viruses that could result in acute or chronic disease.”
ASF is a viral disease of farm-raised and wild pigs with 100% fatality rate. It has become a global concern after outbreaks were detected in many countries including China, Vietnam, and Korea. The Philippines had its first outbreak of the highly contagious disease in 2019.
Since 2019, a total of 5,348 barangays in 73 provinces in the country have been hit by the virus. – Rappler.com