The Office of the City Veterinarian has renewed its campaign to prevent the resurgence of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the city after laboratory tests on new blood samples came positive for the infection.

Assistant City Veterinarian Dr. Arcadio Cavan, Jr. reported during the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) meeting recently, that a blood sample taken from barangay Lunzuran and submitted to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory under the Department of Agriculture turned out to be positive of ASF.

The OCVET has conducted disease surveillance after several swines in the area have started showing clinical signs of ASF, a highly contagious viral disease of pigs which is fatal in its acute form.

Immediately after receiving the test result, the OCVET has conducted depopulation at the ground zero and instituted biosecurity measures to prevent further spread of the virus.

Cavan said four hog raisers in Lunzuran were affected with 20 reported swine mortalities.

Recall that Zamboanga City was upgraded from Red (infected) zone to Pink (buffer) Zone in the ASF Zoning Map Status last November 7, 2023. This came over a year after the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) declared the city under the Red Zone or outbreak category last May 23, 2022.

As this developed, the CDRRMC chaired by Mayor John Dalipe approved a resolution granting assistance to affected raisers to include the provision of indemnity for every pig that contracted ASF, as provided in an existing ordinance.

ASF is a different disease from swine flu as the virus does not affect people and there is no impact on human health. (CMO-PIO)