Must READ: What you need to know about the African Swine Fever

The news as confirmed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) of deaths of hogs in the provinces of Rizal and Bulacan has confirmed that African swine fever is now in the Philippines.

This was validated by the laboratory results the DA got from the United Kingdom.

DA Secretary William Dar said that a total of 7,416 pigs have been depopulated in the affected areas of San Jose, Macabud, San Isidro, San Rafael and Mascap, all in Rodriguez, Rizal; Cupang in Antipolo, and Guiguinto in Bulacan.

The Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of the African Swine fever as
confirmed by the laboratory results from the United Kingdom
(photo credit to owner)

ASF is harmless to humans?

There is a growing worry by the public of the existence of the African Swine Fever in the country, but according to the government run website of Philippine Council for Health research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology- the virus spreading among pigs is harmless to human health.

What is the African Swine Fever?

It was sometime in the 1920’s the virus was detected in Sub-Saharan Africa – hence the name. The first outbreak was reported in 1957 in the Iberian country of Portugal. Despite years of research for cure, there is still no official vaccine yet proven to eradicate the virus.

“ASF is defined as a transboundary animal disease caused by a double-stranded DNA virus which leads to a fatal hemorrhagic fever to the affected animal. Symptoms of the infection include appetite loss, redness of the skin, vomiting and diarrhea. 

Controlling and preventing the infection is highly prioritized as the transmission is quick, but the disease is hard to detect, and it may take days before the symptoms show”

“Although the virus is harmless to human health, it is relevant to heighten security measures to prevent the virus from spreading – in line with the high transmission rate, the lack of cure, and the ability of the virus to withstand extreme conditions. It has also been noted that the virus can survive even in processed meat such as corned pork, bacon and maling.”

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Report from PCHRD , Philstar