Tacloban City - To allay qualms brought by the recent reports of the detection of Ebola Reston strain virus affecting two commercial farms and two backyard farms in Bulacan, Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija, the Department Agriculture-8’s Regional Executive Director (RED) Leo P. Cañeda said, “There is no need to panic. This is solely an animal health issue and the causative agent is a low pathogenic virus.”
“This is the first instance that we have a report of this kind in the Philippines . There is no such case in Region-8,” he added.
As a precautionary and proactive stance however, RED Cañeda explained that the DA-8 through its Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and Animal Quarantine Services is strictly monitoring all ports in the region for the entry of animals particularly pigs. “We are closely coordinating with the different provincial and city veterinary offices for any observation or report of signs and manifestations of the disease,” RED Cañeda assured.
He assured the public that it is safe to eat pork but advised them to remain vigilant and report at once any unusual disease occurrence among animals, especially pigs, to the nearest veterinary or agriculture offices. Food handlers are advised to observe proper handling and thorough cooking of meat while consumers are encouraged to buy pork only in markets regularly inspected by the meat inspectors from the National Meat Inspection Services.
RED Cañeda meantime disclosed that the DA central office and the Bureau of Animal Industry and the Local Government Units concerned in Luzon have already issued an advisory and agreed to continually conduct laboratory examinations as well as implement tight quarantine and regulatory measures. Pigs found infected by the said ebola virus were properly disposed to prevent the spread of the disease. (Rodel G. Macapañas, Info. Officer, DA 8)/MP
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