September 17, 2024

Five piglets with pre-existing conditions die days after ASF vaccination in the Philippines

The Philippines' Department of Agriculture (DA) reported that five piglets with pre-existing conditions died after receiving a dose of the African swine fever (ASF) vaccine, ABS-CBN reported.

These deaths were recorded in Batangas as part of the DA's ongoing vaccination programme, which has involved inoculating approximately 10,000 swine.

The country's Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa confirmed that the deaths are the only fatalities linked to the test vaccination so far.

The vaccination campaign began in August, using AVAC vaccines from Vietnam. According to the DA, these vaccines help swine generate "90% of antibodies after 28-30 days."

The initial phase of the vaccination programme in Batangas involved 10,000 doses. The national government is working to acquire an additional 150,000 doses, with an expected budget of around PHP 350 million (US$6.2 million) for the expanded programme.

The DA has announced plans to extend the ASF vaccination initiative to other areas, including the Visayas and Mindanao. The department is also fast-tracking trials of ASF vaccines from other countries, including the United States, South Korea, and Thailand.

-      ABS-CBN