November 28, 2024
Philippines expands ASF vaccination to disease-free areas
The Philippines' Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced plans to vaccinate swine in areas free from African swine fever (ASF) to address low participation rates in the ongoing vaccination drive.
According to Administrative Circular No 13, the programme will now cover swine in barangays with no active ASF cases for at least 40 days and areas previously identified as red or pink zones but currently free of active cases.
Red zones denote areas with ASF infections, while pink zones are adjacent areas that remain uninfected.
The vaccination campaign will focus on weanling or grower swine aged at least four weeks. These swine must be healthy or have tested negative for ASF. There is no minimum number of swine required for vaccination, and swine do not need to belong to the same age group.
Vaccinated swine will be permitted for transport for slaughter purposes under specific conditions. They must appear healthy and test negative for ASF viral antigen during a 30-day post-vaccination monitoring period. If the monitoring exceeds 30 days, a test must be conducted within seven days prior to slaughter.
Transport clearance must comply with existing regulations, including certification from local authorities confirming the absence of ASF in the swine's area of origin. Swine testing positive for ASF viral antigen with clinical symptoms must be culled. Those testing positive without symptoms will undergo further monitoring and testing, with transport suspended and a seven-day observation period enforced.
If these swine test negative after additional assessments, they may be sent for slaughter. Swine that remain positive after further testing will be depopulated following existing protocols.
The DA began the government-controlled vaccination programme in August, starting with infected swine in Lobo, Batangas, where ASF had resurged. The campaign later expanded to include commercial farms and swine herds. However, the DA noted a slowdown in the programme's implementation due to gaps in protocols and low participation rates.
In response, the DA has emphasised the urgency of accelerating the vaccination rollout to achieve greater coverage and assess the vaccine's safety and efficacy.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr recently confirmed the distribution of 10,000 doses of AVAC live vaccines from Vietnam, with an additional 150,000 doses expected to arrive.
As of November 8, active ASF cases have been reported in six regions and 20 provinces, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry. Since the Philippines recorded its first ASF outbreak in 2019, a total of 76 provinces have been affected.
- Philippine Daily Inquirer