Lamitan City, Basilan Conducts Hog Depopulation to Combat African Swine Fever Outbreak

LAMITAN CITY, Basilan, Philippines — The city and provincial governments of Lamitan and Basilan have conducted a hog depopulation activity to stop an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF). The decision to cull the hogs came after the Provincial Veterinary Office confirmed on Monday that blood samples taken from sick pigs in Barangay Calugusan tested positive for ASF. Personnel of the Lamitan and Basilan veterinary offices, along with the city agriculture office, donned hazmat suits and proceeded to Barangay Calugusan, where ASF cases have been detected. While the City Veterinary Office requested not to discuss or show the manner of depopulation, it assured that the carcasses would be disposed of properly to prevent contamination. "The depopulation is part of the intensified measures to combat ASF," Mayor Roderick Furigay stated. The operation aims to prevent the disease from spreading to neighboring barangays, following a continued increase in hog fatalities in the affected village. According to the City Veterinary Office, 113 hog raisers have been affected by the outbreak, with 284 pigs lost to ASF. The city government has vowed to continue implementing strict disease control measures, including surveillance, movement restrictions, and enhanced biosecurity protocols. Hog raisers have been urged to immediately report any unusual illness or death of their pigs so that the problem can be addressed promptly. The ASF outbreak in the Philippines has had a significant impact on the country's pork industry, leading to increased meat prices and affecting the livelihoods of hog farmers. The government has implemented measures such as farmer compensation and strengthening quarantine protocols, but containment remains a significant challenge across the archipelago.