• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The possibility of a hog cholera outbreak declaration in some Negros Occidental local government units, in connection with thousands of swine deaths, is now being entertained by the Provincial Veterinarian Office.
Dr. Ryan Janoya, PVO officer-in-charge, however, said yesterday that they are still consolidating data on number of hog deaths, which is still increasing, and the identification of affected barangays.
Janoya yesterday clarified that swine mortality may not all be triggered by hog cholera, but also from pneumonia and other diseases.
Initial PVO reports showed that 2,421 hog mortalities were reported on May 16, in 57 barangays of San Enrique, Valladolid, Pulupandan, La Carlota, Pontevedra, and Bago City, all in the 4th district, EB Magalona and Silay in the 3rd district, Manapla in the 2nd district and Hinigaran in the 5th district, affecting 546 hog raisers.
However, laboratory examinations of 27 samples taken from swine in San Enrique yielded negative results for ASF (African Swine Fever), which has symptoms similar to hog cholera, the cause deaths of pigs in Negros Occidental, the PVO reports indicated.
More random blood samples were also taken from swine in Bacolod City, as well as Valladolid, with results are expected to be known soon, Janoya said.
He added that surveillance is now ongoing on affected LGUs to determine the extent of affectation, and to check if there is co-infection with other diseases, especially ASF.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz disclosed that the Negros Occidental Incident Management Team will color code areas with hog deaths and set up quarantine zones to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
The IMT was created to spearhead the campaign against the spread of hog diseases.
Areas where ongoing infections are severe will be tagged as red zones, yellow for ongoing infections, and green zones for those without infections, Diaz said.
But Janoya said there is no color coding scheme as of this time, as surveillance and collecting of blood samples from affected swine are still ongoing.
In case there is a declaration of hog cholera outbreak, affected LGUs may utilize their calamity funds to help the affected raisers, he added.*
