DA 6: Western Visayas Pork is Ebola Reston-free

PHILIPPINES - Pork consumers in Western Visayas have nothing to fear with the reported ebola reston virus which was reported to have infected several hog farms in Luzon.
calendar icon 26 February 2009
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Dr. Jonic Natividad, Regional Quarantine Veterinary Officer of the Department of Agriculture in Region 6 said, "It is still safe to eat pork" emphasizing that per their monitoring, our region is still free from the threats of ebola reston.

Earlier, the Department of Health (DoH) in the region disclosed in their advisory that ebola reston is a non-pathogenic virus. Dr. Glenn Alonsabe, Regional Epidemiologist of DOH 6 said the virus is heat sensitive and can be killed "by cooking your food thoroughly".

During the PIA interview, Dr. Natividad said that the DA will conduct a meeting with "our meat dealers especially those importing meat products in the region in order to make sure that we have a safe products sold in the market".

As precaution, Dr. Natividad urged consumers to buy their pork products from accredited meat establishments.

Meanwhile, DA 6 Director Larry Nacionales said that Western Visayas has long been declared as foot and mouth disease free, and they are implementing measures to protect the hog industry from ebola reston virus.

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