BOAC, Marinduque — The African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in Marinduque has officially been declared under control, according to the Provincial Veterinary Office (PROVET).
PROVET head Josue M. Victoria detailed the current status of the province’s ASF zones, which have been categorized into “pink,” “yellow,” and “green” zones based on the presence or absence of cases over time.
“Kontrolado na ang ASF dito sa lalawigan at kasalukuyan ay nasa kategoryang pink-zone, ibig sabihin ay walang naitalang kaso sa mga bayan ng Mogpog, Boac, Gasan, Torrijos at Santa Cruz sa nakalipas na tatlong buwan, habang ang bayan ng Buenavista ay nasa kategoryang ‘yellow zone’ na ang ibig sabihin naman ay walang kaso ng ASF sa nakalipas na anim na buwan at maaaring ilagay pa sa ‘green-zone’ o walang naitala sa nakalipas na isang taon o higit pa,” Victoria explained.
[ASF is now under control in the province, and currently, we are classified as a pink-zone, meaning that there have been no reported cases in the municipalities of Mogpog, Boac, Gasan, Torrijos, and Santa Cruz in the past three months. Meanwhile, the municipality of Buenavista is classified as a ‘yellow-zone,’ which indicates no reported ASF cases in the past six months and may soon be upgraded to a ‘green-zone,’ where there have been no recorded cases in the past year or more.]
The last recorded ASF case in Marinduque occurred in July 2024 in the municipality of Santa Cruz. The outbreak was traced back to the entry of infected pigs from another province, affecting six barangays and prompting the declaration of a state of calamity.
PROVET reported that around 2,000 to 3,000 pigs were infected with ASF during the 2024 outbreak. However, their monitoring also revealed that some pigs displayed natural immunity to the virus. Despite this, culling protocols required the removal of all pigs within a one-kilometer radius of infected areas, resulting in significant financial losses for local pig farmers.
Victoria emphasized the importance of stricter monitoring and systematic control measures to safeguard the province’s swine industry. He argued for a more targeted approach, suggesting that not all pigs in affected areas should be culled if they show immunity.
“Sistema ang dapat pairalin upang makontrol ang paglaganap ng ASF. Kailangan hanapin ang pinagmulan saka gawin ang ‘search and destroy’. Walang baboy na may ASF [at] walang ASF,” Victoria said.
[We need to implement a proper system to control the spread of ASF. It’s crucial to identify the source and carry out a ‘search and destroy’ operation. No pig should have ASF, and we should eliminate the virus.]
The province is now focusing on efforts to upgrade all zones to “green” status, with the aim of ensuring no ASF cases are recorded in the future. — Marinduquenews.com