DAVAO City – Davao del Norte province is conducting surveillance to potentially downgrade its African swine fever (ASF) zone status from red to pink, officials said Thursday.
Dr. Minelo Generale, senior agriculturist of the Provincial Veterinarian’s Office, said testing in Barangay Mamacao, Kapalong —the site of a 2020 outbreak that placed the province under red zone status— is part of the effort. A red zone indicates infected areas, while pink is a monitored buffer.
The office collected 500 blood samples from hogs across nine municipalities last year, with most testing negative for ASF and hog cholera.
“We advised farmers to continue with strict biosecurity to prevent the recurrence of the disease,” Generale said in a statement.
The surveillance supports Governor Edwin Jubahib’s order to resume a livestock dispersal program, prioritizing previously affected barangays to verify the virus is no longer present. (PNA)
