November 4, 2024

Benguet, Philippines strengthens animal checkpoints to prevent spread of ASF, bird flu

The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Benguet, Philippines, has intensified checkpoint operations to prevent animals infected with African swine fever (ASF) and bird flu from entering the province as holiday demand rises, Philippine News Agency reported.

Dr Purita Lesing, head of the PVO, announced the measures, explaining that the office would implement stricter checkpoint protocols to stop the entry of infected animals intended for food. "We will be stricter and we will tighten checkpoint operations to ensure that infected or sick animals intended for food will not enter and cause more reinfections in the province," Lesing said.

By setting up these checkpoints, the province has managed to reduce ASF cases, dropping from 30 in 2023 to just 14 cases as of October 28, 2024. The checkpoints have successfully prevented the entry of ASF-positive pigs on eight separate occasions, according to Lesing.

To contain the virus, swine within a 1 km radius of an infected animal are culled mandatorily, a measure aimed at limiting the spread of ASF.

Current inventory data shows that Benguet has around 56,000 swine available at any given time, meeting only 30% of the province's pork demand. The region, therefore, relies heavily on imported pork, receiving an average daily supply of 26 million kg of pork from other areas. Additionally, the province imports five million heads of culled chicken, a key ingredient for the local dish, "pinikpikan."

"Our internal supply is not enough, which is why we see the possibility of infected animals entering during the holiday season," Lesing added. She urged people to exercise responsibility in sourcing animals, cautioning against bringing in untested or possibly infected livestock.

-      Philippine News Agency