By Jen Baylon
There are no more red zone for African Swine Fever (ASF) in Negros Occidental after the two remaining localities – the cities of Bacolod and Silay – were upgraded to pink zone, marking a significant milestone in the province’s fight against the hog disease.
Pink (buffer) zone refers to local government units where ASF is not detected but demarcated immediately around a red (infected) zone.
Dr. Yasmin Tan, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), said the latest data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed there are currently no active ASF cases in the province.
“According to the DA, Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, is now classified as a pink zone,” Tan stated. “However, these areas still need to apply for sentinel monitoring before they can be upgraded to yellow zones.”
The sentinel program requires the placement of sentinel pigs, which are observed for 40 days to detect any presence of ASF. Only after passing this monitoring phase can an area be considered for yellow zone status. Yellow zones must then submit blood samples every 30 days to the National Veterinary authorities to maintain their status and eventually qualify for the green zone, which indicates ASF-free status.
Currently, a total of 11 areas in Negros Occidental remain in the pink zone category. These include Kabankalan City, Hinigaran, La Castellana, Pulupandan, San Carlos City, San Enrique, Silay City, Victorias City, Valladolid, Bacolod City, and Escalante City.
Meanwhile, Bago City and Sagay City have been upgraded to yellow zones. In these areas, continuous monitoring through blood sampling every 30 days is required to ensure the disease remains absent, with the ultimate goal of achieving dark green or ASF-free status.
Despite these positive developments, Tan cautioned that Negros Occidental cannot yet be declared completely ASF-free. Vigilance and strict adherence to monitoring protocols remain essential to prevent any resurgence of the disease.
ASF is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs, characterized by high mortality rates.
Although it does not pose a threat to human health, ASF severely impacts the pork industry, causing major economic losses due to restrictions on pork movement and the culling of infected animals./JB, WDJ