By Alexandria San JuanÂ
At least eleven dead pigs in Quezon City tested positive for African swine fever (ASF).
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte (MARK BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Citing data from the Quezon City Veterinary Office, Mayor Joy Belmonte said the hogs infected with the virus were found in Barangay Bagong Silangan.
Belmonte added that they had received reports of dead pigs in Barangay Payatas but experts have yet to confirm if they also died due to ASF, pending laboratory tests from the Bureau of Animal Industry.
Meanwhile, Belmonte assured residents that they already established checkpoints to closely monitor and inspect markets, supermarkets, and slaughterhouses in the city.
According to the World Organization for Animal Health, ASF is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs but it is not a risk to human health.
"Actually, hindi transmissible ang virus to humans. Kaya lang hindi mo naman ma-eencourage yung tao na kainin yun dahil lahat naman ng baboy kapag may sakit hindi dapat kainin pero anyway hindi naman sya nakaka-affect sa humans (The virus is not transmissible to humans. But of course, we cannot encourage people to consume infected pigs)," Ana Cabel, the City chief veterinarian, earlier explained.
The Department of Agriculture confirmed over the week that ASF is the cause of swine deaths in Rizal, the first in the Philippines.
Agriculture secretary William Dar said 14 out of the 20 blood samples of dead pigs from some backyard farms in Rizal tested positive for ASF virus based on laboratory tests conducted in the United Kingdom.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte (MARK BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Citing data from the Quezon City Veterinary Office, Mayor Joy Belmonte said the hogs infected with the virus were found in Barangay Bagong Silangan.
Belmonte added that they had received reports of dead pigs in Barangay Payatas but experts have yet to confirm if they also died due to ASF, pending laboratory tests from the Bureau of Animal Industry.
Meanwhile, Belmonte assured residents that they already established checkpoints to closely monitor and inspect markets, supermarkets, and slaughterhouses in the city.
According to the World Organization for Animal Health, ASF is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs but it is not a risk to human health.
"Actually, hindi transmissible ang virus to humans. Kaya lang hindi mo naman ma-eencourage yung tao na kainin yun dahil lahat naman ng baboy kapag may sakit hindi dapat kainin pero anyway hindi naman sya nakaka-affect sa humans (The virus is not transmissible to humans. But of course, we cannot encourage people to consume infected pigs)," Ana Cabel, the City chief veterinarian, earlier explained.
The Department of Agriculture confirmed over the week that ASF is the cause of swine deaths in Rizal, the first in the Philippines.
Agriculture secretary William Dar said 14 out of the 20 blood samples of dead pigs from some backyard farms in Rizal tested positive for ASF virus based on laboratory tests conducted in the United Kingdom.