As the country faces the impact of the African Swine Fever (ASF), two more strains of the virus were reported to have been detected in China.
According to the report of Reuters, more than 1,000 hogs were infected by the new variant due to suspected administration of unlicensed vaccine.
Based on the information gathered by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the detection of such strain from an infected hog is difficult as some normal ASF symptoms are not present in the new strain.
“Mayroong mild field infection na nagaganap… Pagka ‘yung variant mo ay epekto niya ay mild disease, magtatamlay lang siya, lalagnatin (There is mild field infection… If the variant’s effect is mild disease, [the hog] will become weak and will have fever),” BAI Dir. Ronnie Domingo described.
“Mahirap na sakit ‘yun. Maraming sakit na ganiyan ang diagnosis, manifestation. Mahirap ang kaniyang management (That’s a complicated illness. Many diseases have that diagnosis, manifestation. It is hard to manage),” Domingo added.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the new strain has not yet entered the Philippines. The BAI and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) are now strengthening their monitoring on the matter.
The DA is also coordinating with countries developing ASF vaccines which should undergo thorough evaluation. At least five countries offered vaccines to the Philippines, including the United Kingdom and Vietnam.
“Ang China naglabas sila ng bakuna, nagkaroon ng problema. May ASF na bagong strain na tumatama sa kanila. Ayaw nating mangyari ‘yun (A vaccine was released in China and a problem surfaced. A new ASF strain hit them. We do not want that to happen),” Domingo cautioned. – Report from Cleizl Pardilla
