By Stephanie Sevillano

MANILA – Around 32,089 doses of AVAC live vaccines from Vietnam have been distributed under the Department of Agriculture’s government-controlled vaccination against African swine fever (ASF).
“Marami naman na silang nabakunahan almost 33,000 doses na-administer nila sa (They have vaccinated many, almost 33,000 doses administered in) 11 municipalities in five provinces,” DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in an interview Tuesday.
He said the vaccination among healthy and ASF-negative hogs is ongoing in 18 farms in various municipalities in Central Luzon and Calabarzon.
This includes the initial 10,000 doses of AVAC live vaccines under the government’s emergency procurement that was earlier rolled out in Lobo, Batangas.
Besides the administered doses, he said 160,000 doses of ASF vaccines were delivered to the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
Earlier, the BAI reported a decline in ASF-affected barangays amid the vaccine rollout and intensified border inspection measures.
As of Jan.10, barangays under red zones, or those with active cases of ASF, dropped to 133 in 34 cities and municipalities from 225 barangays on Dec. 27, 2024.
Affected regions include the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Soccsksargen. (PNA)