Philippines: African Swine Fever (ASF) Confirmed in the Philippines

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) announced today that 14 out of the 20 samples submitted to the World Animal Health (OIE) Reference Laboratory for Swine Diseases in the United Kingdom have tested positive for African Swine Fever (ASF). ASF is a highly contagious disease that is fatal to pigs, but does not pose a risk to human health. According to the DA, seven areas in two provinces in Luzon have been affected by ASF. These are Rizal Province (Rodriguez and Antipolo) and Bulacan (Guiguinto). The DA reports that a total of 7,416 pigs within the 1-kilometer radius of the affected areas in Rizal and Bulacan have been culled. The results of another test, which will determine strain and virulence of ASF, are still pending. ASF has caused serious production and economic losses in the region, and its impact in the Philippines will depend on the government and private sector’s ability to limit its spread from the initially affected areas.

Philippines: African Swine Fever (ASF) Confirmed in the Philippines