Albay bans pork from CamSur, Camarines Norte

The provincial government of Albay has closed its borders from the entry of live pigs and pork products from neighboring province of Camarines Sur due to the threat of Africal Swine Flu (ASF).

“The province of Albay is closely monitoring and enforcing checkpoints in Tiwi, Polangui, and other borders coming to Albay, so as not to allow the entry of live pigs and meat products in areas positive with ASF to protect our province from ASF,” Albay provincial veterinarian Pancjo Mella said.

Apart from checkpoints in the Camarines Sur-Albay border, Legazpi City veterinary officer Emmanuel Estipona said that the province is also banning pigs and pork products from Camarines Norte and Mindanao. On Thursday (Feb. 20), The Department of Agriculture (DA) Bicol confirmed the presence of ASF in the region, specifically in Bombon town in Camarines Sur. At least 85 hogs from Bombon had tested positive and were culled.

Camarines Sur Gov. Miguel Villafuerte placed the province on Red Alert, after the DA detected ASF-infected pigs on Thursday, February 20.

Villafuerte also ordered city and municipal mayors to enforce safety measures in piggeries, through the prohibition of swill feeding, cooperation in quarantine efforts, and comply with the zoning plan for the preventing and control of ASF.

The ASF is a disease that affects pigs and cannot be transmitted to humans. It has a 100% fatality rate and has no known cure. Its presence in the Philippines is believed to have originated from imported pork and pork products from China tainted with ASF.

The first confirmed cases in the Philippines were detected in Rizal and Bulacan. In the Davao region, the virus was first detected in Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental.