Pork products from China to be pulled from markets
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Provincial Veterinary Office head, Dr. Renante Decena, yesterday assured the public there is no African swine fever in Negros Occidental. The notification came after the Department of Agriculture announced they have recorded several “suspicious” deaths of hogs in some areas of the country.
Last May, as the disease ravaged hog farms in China and nearby Southeast Asian countries, the provincial official made similar pronouncements, claiming there was no swine fever threat in the province.
As a preventative measure, Decena said they have formed a task force to handle swine flu and are also regulating the sale of frozen meat throughout Negros Occidental.
In addition, the provincial office has also ordered for all pork products from China to be pulled from market shelves across the province. Among the brands identified include Narcissus, Heaven Temple, Ma Ling, Shabu Shabu, Sol Primo, Wang Taste of Korea, Highway, Sky Dragon, and Weilin.
Based on studies conducted by veterinarians outside the Philippines, the infection is believed to originate from ornithodoros, a type of soft-bodied tick. Hogs are infected after they are bitten by the tick, which then contaminates their blood.
The virus has no effect on humans but there is a need for strict monitoring at airports and seaports in order to prevent the virus from entering the country.
Earlier this year, China culled over a million pigs in a bid to control the spread of the virus.
China’s National Bureau of Statistics reported, the outbreak caused the country’s pig population to decline by nearly 40 million to 375.3 million from a year earlier.
Analysts, however, believe China has been underreporting the situation.
Aside from China, the disease has also affected hog farms in other Southeast Asian countries.
In response to the issue, the local government has advised consumers to avoid buying pork products from China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam./DGB, WDJ