Cebu Province Plans to Adapt a Calculated Approach Against ASF

Culling pigs infected with African Swine Fever (ASF) is one way to prevent the spread of the disease. However, even pigs not infected with the disease are also culled if they are on the affected farm.

Cebu detected its first ASF case in Carcar City earlier this month and is now on high alert to stop the spread of the disease.

Culling can be a strategy to slow down the spread of the disease, but culling hogs that are not infected could potentially harm the livelihood of Cebuanos, especially the local and backyard hog raisers.

Cebu Provincial Governor Gwendolyn Garcia wants a calculated approach to dealing with ASF in Cebu Province.

Garcia said that the surveillance operations should also extend to backyard farms and not only in slaughterhouses to determine the root cause of the problem.

She added that determining if the hog is infected with ASF according to its symptoms should be accounted for before culling.

She also said that further study should be done in determining the proper way to handle this disease — culling should not be the first option.

Meanwhile, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy said that depopulation in affected farms within the 500-meter radius of Carcar City is already being implemented. Cebu Provincial government also enforced Stricter border controls to contain the virus.

Cebu Provincial Gwendolyn Garcia already issued an Executive Order to stop the importation of hogs in Carcar City to prevent the virus from spreading to neighboring towns and cities. (ASC)