Random blood tests by the Bureau of Animal Industry on pigs in three towns in Occidental Mindoro tested negative for African Swine Fever, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced Friday.
The latest blood tests were conducted to secure Recognition of Active Surveillance on ASF (RAS-ASF), attesting there are no active cases of ASF in a specified place, the department said.
The tests, conducted at the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, confirmed the absence of ASF in the local pig population.
Municipalities in the province have applied for the RAS-ASF from the BAI.
Aside from the assurance of no active ASF cases within the municipality, the certification also serves as a prerequisite for allowing the entry and exit of pigs in Occidental Mindoro, to prevent the spread of ASF and maintain the biosecurity of pig farms in the province.
The province has set up meat inspection checkpoints on the last week of January following the confirmation of an ASF outbreak in the towns of San Jose, Santa Cruz, and Rizal.
The local governments also quarantined affected farms after the ASF announcement.
The success in mitigating the spread of ASF can be attributed to the effective collaboration between the DA, BAI, local government units, and various agencies, the department said.
