KALIBO, Aklan – Authorities here sustained its heighten security and quarantine measures to prevent the entry of animal diseases in airports and seaports of the province.
Gov. Florencio Miraflores recently convened
government agencies and the animal disease prevention and control
task force to discuss threats of African swine fever (ASF) and other animal
diseases.
Amid swine fever alert, the Provincial Veterinary Office-Aklan is closely monitoring
the entry of live animals, meat products and meat-by products
in Aklan by setting up quarantine checkpoints in Altavas, Buruanga
and Nabas to ensure meat products sold in markets are safe for
human consumption.
Authorities also enforced tight watch on
Kalibo International Airport (KIA) with direct regional flights from
China and Hong Kong, two of the countries affected by the
deadly swine virus, and Caticlan jetty port in Malay,
Aklan.
All carry-on bags of passengers are also screened by x-ray
machines at KIA and ports of entry to
handle ASF virus.
The management of food leftover and kitchen waste in Boracay establishments and
the provincial government’s possible takeover of confiscated meat products
disposal were part of the plans and protocols to contain the entry of ASF virus
and other animal diseases.
KIA Veterinary Quarantine Services head Dr. Christine Lynn Melgarejo said there is no outbreak of ASF, bird flu and foot and mouth disease in Aklan, despite cases of swine mortalities in Luzon.
ASF outbreak was detected in Hong
Kong, Laos, Germany, Russia, China, Hungary, Vietnam, Ukraine, North
Korea, Mongolia, Belgium, Latvia, Romania, Poland, South Africa,
Zambia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Cambodia, Ukraine and Czech Republic. Importation,
distribution and sale of all processed meat products from
these countries are temporarily ban by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
Melgarejo said a total of 230 kilos of meat
products confiscated from airport passengers on Aug. 19
and a total of 210 kilos on Sept. 3 were disposed in
Kalibo landfill.
The ASF is a deadly animal disease
affecting pigs and wild boars with up to 100% mortality, it has no known
cure but it is harmless to humans.
Over five million pigs in Asia have died for the past year
due to ASF, according to the latest data of Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations. (With
a report from Akean Forum/PN)