Authorities assure the public that pork is safe to eat
By Bohol Island News Staff | 10:55 AM September 9, 2019
The Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed on Monday that the African swine fever (ASF) has reached the Philippines.
In a briefing on Monday, September 9, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said most of the tissue samples that they sent over to laboratories in the United Kingdom tested positive for ASF.
Though the virus is already in the Philippines, authorities said pork in the market is safe to eat as long as it bears the stamp of the National Meat Inspection Service.
However, tests have yet to confirm which strand of ASF has caused the hog deaths.
Dar said 7 areas in two provinces in Luzon have been affected by ASF.
These are:
Rizal – San Jose, Macabud, San isidro, San Rafael, Mascap, and Cupang in Antipolo
Bulacan – Guiguinto
Experts suspect that the virus was spread through food waste from restaurants and hotels, as well as products carried by overseas Filipinos from countries with ASF.
ASF cannot be transmitted to humans.
