Agriculture official confirmed Saturday morning that African Swine Fever was detected in one of the 40 villages in Kidapawan City.
According to the Department of Agriculture Region 12 executive director Arlan Mangelen, blood samples collected from hogs of raisers in Barangay Linangcob tested positive for ASF.
“We confirmed the entry of ASF in Kidapawan City,” Mangelen said.
The agriculture official also said ASF is now affecting at least four areas in Cotabato province, specifically in the towns of Magpet, Arakan, President Roxas, and Kidapawan City.
At least 324 hogs were culled within the 5, 7- and 10-kilometer radius in compliance with the protocol of the Department of Agriculture, said Barangay Linangcob chairman Rodolfo Rodriguez.
Rodriguez ordered villagers to immediately cull their hogs and bury the animals instead of eating or selling the meat to prevent African Swine Fever contamination.
Director Mangelen said the hog industry lost nearly P7 million due to ASF in Cotabato province.
“What we need is cooperation from our people. Let us all be very vigilant and help the government in their campaign against the ASF,” Mangelen appealed.
Also read: Over 300,000 pigs culled due to ASF; 20 new outbreaks recorded
African Swine Fever in Cotabato
In July, the provincial veterinarian of Cotabato blamed the online selling of processed meat chorizo for the first cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Magpet town of Cotabato.
According to Dr. Rufino Suropia, Cotabato provincial veterinarian, the ASF contamination may have originated from the processed meat orders delivered through couriers during the lockdown.
Suropia said residents in Magpet turned to online selling when the government placed the country under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in April and May.
He added that online sellers from the Davao region were selling products through couriers, which is why they passed through COVID-19 quarantine personnel undetected.
Domestic hog raisers at the villages of Tagbac and Pangao-an also reported deaths of their domestic animals.
The local government started on July 19, the culling of live hogs within the one-kilometer radius from the site of infection to prevent the disease from spreading and affecting pigs in nearby barangays.
The government would also pay the culled hogs. The price would be according to the current market price of live meat.