Intensified drive vs salmonella sought in Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture has called on local government units in Eastern Visayas to intensify security measures after cases of salmonella infection have spread to this city and the island municipality of Daram in Samar province. Local officials believed that the incident in nearby areas was triggered with transport of animals from the town of Sta. Rita in Samar where 760 pigs were affected. To avert the problem, the quick response team of the Agriculture department recommended the following: a ban on the movement of pigs from infected to non-infected areas; isolation, treatment and therapy for infected animals; ban on slaughtering of sick pigs; and setting up checkpoints in strategic places. "We have to make sacrifice this time. It is very risky to transport hogs from infected areas even those that are healthy," said Agriculture Regional Executive Director Leo Cañeda in a meeting with town mayors in the second district of Samar. In a report, Agriculture officials confirmed that "most of the sick pigs from Sta. Rita town were slaughtered and some were sold to Tacloban City while dead carcasses were buried, thrown to the sea, rivers and canals." Suspected cases City veterinary office chief Eunice Alcantara said there were sporadic cases of suspected salmonella infection in some Tacloban villages last week. "We cannot confirm that it’s salmonella infection. We’re not able to get samples since people resorted to early slaughter after animals have shown some symptoms of the disease," she told BusinessWorld. Most of the reports are from the northern villages of the city. Checkpoints were set up in Diit village and Marasbaras district to check shipments from neighboring Leyte towns. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez earlier issued a notice to residents to report any occurrence of salmonella infection. In Daram, Samar, municipal agriculturist Dolores Mustacisa said at least seven villages in their island municipality have reported cases of salmonella infection among backyard-raised pigs. An estimated 70 pigs have been infected. "It was reported to us after people slaughtered their animals. People are not aware. We have strengthened our monitoring to get samples before the death of hogs with active cases," Ms. Mustacisa said. The Agriculture department has imposed a ban on slaughtering of sick pigs as this would trigger the further spread of the animal disease. Improper disposal of leftover meat is one of the major factors attributing to the rising case of salmonella. San Sebastian (Samar) Mayor Arnold Abalos said he has asked for vigilance among village officials. "We have already conducted information dissemination to prevent the disease from affecting the livelihood of our swine raisers," said Talalora Mayor Cornelio Bersales. Sta. Rita Mayor Lisandro Kim Adolfo said they have been asking for additional policemen to man checkpoints. The Agriculture department said a total of 84 pigs have died and 676 others are infected. The reported nearly 300 mortalities included those that were slaughtered, said Leo Mira of the regional animal quarantine office. - Sarwell Q. Meniano, BusinessWorld