DDO vet warns public on eating meat with ASF

NABUNTURAN, Davao de Oro, November 24 (PIA) - Unhygienic.

Provincial veterinarian Dr. Rolando Simene said this word during the State of the Province radio program over ZRadio 88.5FM to label eating meat from a hog with a disease such as the African Swine Fever (ASF).

Dr. Simene emphasized that ASF cannot affect humans as it is only host specific, meaning it can only do damage to hogs or any swine specie.

But, he added, even though ASF will not affect human as it is host specific, the general rule on meat hygiene is that people should not eat meat from unhealthy animals.

“Regardless of what kind of disease, basta nagsakit maski unsa pa ang cause sa disease basta it will affect the tissues, it will affect the meat, dili jud na siya pwede kanoon (as long as it got sick, whatever kind of disease it will affect the tissues, it will affect the meat it cannot be eaten).”

Last week, seven hogs in Barangay Kingking, Pantukan tested positive of ASF. Meanwhile, authorities are still waiting for the confirmatory result for the death of another 34 hogs in Siocon, Compostela, but Dr. Simene said that according to their necropsy, they are 95% sure that the hogs have ASF virus. (PIA11, Michael Uy)

Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)