Nine towns in Iloilo province are now under the red or infected zone due to African swine fever (ASF) with the addition of the municipalities of Barotac Nuevo and Dumangas on Dec. 24.
The classification was contained in Executive Order no. 460–F signed by Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. on Dec. 24 and released by the Public Information and Community Affairs Office on Tuesday.
It amended Executive 460 issued on Oct. 17 that ordered quarantine procedures, and disease prevention and control measures against ASF.
“Red zone will include municipalities or cities with confirmed outbreaks of ASF confirmed cases. A confirmed outbreak is defined as having ASF detected in domestic and/or wild pigs in affected farms in one barangay spreading to other barangays of the same municipality occurring within 15 days,” the EO said.
Defensor said swine specimens from Barangays Cruz in Barotac Nuevo and Jardin and Ermita in Dumangas tested positive using the convective polymerase chain reaction (cPCR) test for ASF.
Other towns earlier placed under the red zone included Oton, San Miguel, Leganes, New Lucena, Alimodian, Santa Barbara, and Mina.
“The movement of live pigs, pork, pork products (fresh/frozen pork products and uncooked processed pork products, except cooked and canned processed pork products), and swine genetic materials in and out of the said municipality shall be prohibited. The red zone status shall remain until lifted,” the order said.
The inter-zonal movement of those in pink, yellow, light green, and dark green zones shall be governed by section II of the Department of Agriculture Administrative Circular No. 02, series of 2022 or the National Zoning and Movement Plan for the Prevention and Control of the ASF.PNA
