The nine reported deaths in the pig population in three coastal barangays in the City of Mati have been ruled out as African Swine Fever infection.

City of Mati Veterinarian Services Office head Dr. Marites Erispe said that the samples taken from the hogs in Barangays Lanca, Luban, and Cabuaya were no longer tested by the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory based in General Santos City.

This is because, Erispe said, the symptoms observed from the piglets that died were not the same from the symptoms of ASF. She said that instead of the ASF testing, the samples were subjected to the Classical Swine Fever test which also yielded negative result.

“Compared with ASF wherein lahat affected, but in this case puro piglets lang then isolated case kasi isa lang ka owner tapos meron history na binigyan nya ng dewormer na para sa kalabaw ginamit nya sa piglet,” Erispe explained.

The City of Mati LGU is giving special attention to the three coastal barangays due to their proximity, by sea, to Davao Occidental where the first outbreak of ASF in Mindanao was reported.

Quarantine checkpoints in the entry and exit points of Davao Oriental and the City of Mati have been set up to prevent the entry of ASF in the province and the city.

Pork products and byproducts from the entire Luzon island and ASF-affected areas are not allowed to pass thru the quarantine checkpoints while those coming from other areas must have all the corresponding health and sanitary permits before being allowed entry. (CIO MATI)