By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

African swine fever (ASF) spread in another municipality in Negros Oriental as Sibulan town reported its first cases yesterday morning.

Sibulan town Mayor Jose Abiera said hog blood samples in Barangay Tubtubon’s Purok Apitong tested positive for ASF, based on laboratory tests from the Bureau of Animal Industry in Central Visayas.

Abiera issued an executive order for a temporary ban on hogs and pork products in Sibulan.

He also ordered the culling of all pigs within 500 meters from the farm where the ASF cases originated.

The culling also affected portions of barangays Bolocboloc and Magatas.

Dauin town reported its first ASF cases earlier this week.

At least 265 pigs were culled in Barangay Maayong Tubig following the confirmed laboratory results that hog deaths were due to ASF.

Dauin Mayor Galicano Truita also issued an executive order to prevent the transmission of ASF virus to other barangays.

Executive Order No. 2023-19.1 calls for a temporary ban on the entry and exit of swine/pigs, including fresh and frozen products; the suspension of swine-related activities, such as slaughtering, in the municipality; and the immediate culling of the bovine animals in Barangay Maayong Tubig’s Puroks 1 and 2./DGB, WDJ