By Vicente Labro
Visayas Bureau
First Posted 15:57:00 02/04/2009
TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines -- An interagency government group in Eastern Visayas has ordered the quarantine of hogs in Eastern Samar following reports of salmonella infection among the animals in the province.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) also said it has received reports of suspected salmonella infection in pigs in a Leyte town.
Leo Cañeda, DA regional executive director, confirmed the quarantine advisory was issued late last week by the Regional Advisory Committee on Animal Disease Control and Emergency (RAC-ADCE).
The RAC-ADCE has banned the transfer and transport of infected stocks from Eastern Samar to other areas, as well as the slaughter of sick animals, said Cañeda, who also chairs the body.
The advisory also orders the isolation of sick animals, the proper disposal or burying of dead animals, and the sanitation of areas where salmonella infection has occurred.
In an interview, Cañeda told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) checkpoints would be set up in strategic places to prevent the spread of the disease.
Cadeña urged the public to immediately report any suspected incidence of salmonella in pigs and other animals.
Among the symptoms are loss of appetite, high fever and diarrhea.
Dr. Leo Mira, chief of the regional animal quarantine office, earlier warned that animals infected with salmonella are not fit for human consumption.
An animal health mission conducted on January 28 and 29in several villages of Sta. Rita town in Samar reported that nearly 700 pigs were suspected of salmonella infection.
Another 84 other pigs that showed symptoms of salmonella infection had died in the area as early as December last year.
In the island municipality of Daram, also in Samar, the municipal agriculturist also reported cases of salmonella infection in at least 60 pigs in six villages.
Late last week, cases of salmonella infection were reported in a village of Babatngon, Leyte, a coastal town facing Sta. Rita across the San Juanico Strait. Babatngon is also adjacent to Tacloban City, where sporadic cases of suspected salmonella were earlier reported.
Cañeda said he went to Babatngon on Monday with a quick response team from his office that gave prophylaxis treatment to more than 20 sick pigs in Barangay (village) Bagong Silang, the only village where salmonella occurred.
The Bagong Silang village chief reported that six pigs that showed signs of salmonella infection died in early January, Cadeña said.
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