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| Credit USDA |
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The global spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) has escalated markedly over the past 10 months - threatening Asia's food production - with China, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia and North Korea all reporting the virus affecting their swine herds.
While pig-to-pig or farm-to-farm spread likely accounts for most local transmission, long distance jumps can occur when people transport (legally or illegally) contaminated pork products (or feed).Over the past few months we've seen dozens of ASF-positive pork products seized in Taiwan, Japan, South Korean, and even Australia - usually found in the luggage of international travelers coming from China or Vietnam (see ASF: Taiwan Plays Hardball Over Undeclared Pork Products).
Today, it is the Philippines' turn, as announced by Agricultural Secretary Manny Piñol on his Facebook page.
CANNED PORK FROM HONGKONG INTERCEPTED AT CLARK AIRPORT
These are the canned pork products confiscated at Clark International Airport on March 25 which proved positive for African Swine Fever (ASF) virus.
If it is infected and feeds on pigs, the residue can spread the disease in our palms and will cause damage to our hog industry.
There are those who say we're just reacting and complaining about strict quarantine protocols, it's proof that we really face danger.
Let's not be philosopher and hard-headed.
Please follow the quarantine officers at the airports.
It is unacceptable to enter the delata and processed pork products in the country.
You will be arrested and fined.
In a related story, today the Philippines Department of Agriculture posted the following story on the acquisition of X-Ray equipment to aid in the detection of illicit food products in the luggage of arriving travelers.
DA procures x-ray equipment to check agri products
Author: DA-AFID | 14 June 2019President Rody Duterte has approved the utilization of the Quick Reaction Fund (QRF) of the Department of Agriculture for the emergency procurement of 20 units of X-Ray machines which will be established in all international airports of the country to check agricultural products, especially meat, brought in by passengers.
Finance Secretary Carlos G.Dominguez, head of the Economic Development Cluster (EDC) Committee, endorsed the DA proposal citing the need for the country to protect its borders from plant and animal diseases notably the African Swine Fever which is devastating the hog industry of many countries.
Sec. Dominguez also approved the installation of the meat and agri X-Ray machines in the customs area in all airports so that all hand carried and checked in baggages of incoming passengers, especially those coming from ASF-affected countries, could be checked.
Philippine Quarantine Laws prohibit the entry of meat, fisheries and horticulture products, including planting materials, if these are not covered by Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Permits issued by both the BAI and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).
(Continue . . . )
While North America remains free from African Swine Fever, the risks of seeing it arrive on our shores increases with each territorial gain it makes around the world.
Six years ago we saw the arrival of another, far less dangerous porcine virus - PEDV - which is believed to have originated from China (see mBio: PEDV - Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus – An Emerging Coronavirus).A month ago, in USDA Enhances Domestic ASF Surveillance Efforts,
we looked at plans for enhanced testing and surveillance for ASF in American pigs, in hopes of detecting - and stamping out - any infections as early as possible.
We've also seen concerns raised by both U.S. and Canadian Stakeholders (see ASF in China Prompts Call for Pork Producers to Think Feed Safety and Five Possible Pathways ASF Could Enter Canada) along with our own USDA, which recently released a 28-page ASF response plan.
Hence the vigorous response we're seeing around the world.
