DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) recently declared that African Swine Flu (ASF) is not a risk to human health after the Department of Agriculture confirmed that 14 out of 20 pig samples tested positive for ASF.

“We want to allay the fears of the public by saying that, as long as pork is bought from reliable sources and it is cooked thoroughly, pork is safe to eat,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III emphasized.

According to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), ASF is a severe and highly contagious viral disease among domestic and wild pigs.

It is commonly introduced into a herd after the feeding on uncooked or undercooked contaminated pork products which are then ingested by the pig. The virus is then spread between pigs by direct contact with an infected pig, or ingestion of contaminated material (such as food waste, feed, or garbage). It can also be transmitted by contaminated fomites or ticks or blood-sucking insects if present.