MANILA: Cases of leptospirosis have increased in Northern Samar weeks after the massive floods that hit the province last month, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Thursday.

From just eight cases from January to the first week of December 2023, the number rose to 22 cases in the second week as more patients sought consultation for symptoms of the bacterial disease.

‘The number has increased as more people manifested symptoms and sought medical attention in our health facilities as a result of heavy flooding in the province last month,’ DOH Eastern Visayas regional information office Jelyn Lopez-Malibago said.

In anticipation of further weather disturbances, DOH earlier prepositioned antibiotics in Northern Samar to combat the illness and sent more drugs in the last week of November as part of the agency’s post-disaster response.

As a result, no one died from leptospirosis in Northern Samar, Malibago said.

Leptospirosis is a disease contracted when floodwaters, vegetation, or moist soil are contam
inated with the bacteria called leptospira, commonly spread through the infected urine or feces of rats.

Symptoms include fever, chills, red eyes, jaundice, muscle pain, a severe headache, and little urine production.

In the Eastern Visayas region, the DOH has recorded 113 leptospirosis cases in six provinces with nine deaths. Mortalities were recorded in Tanauan, Leyte, Jipapad, Eastern Samar, Calbayog City, Catbalogan City, Pagsanghan, and Basey in Samar province.

The DOH said leptospirosis can be prevented by avoiding contact with animal urine or body fluids, especially if there are cuts or abrasions of the skin, and by wearing protective clothing or footwear near soil or water that may be contaminated with animal urine.

Other preventive measures include the consumption of boiled water, especially during the rainy season; avoiding swimming or wading in muddy ponds and slowly moving streams, especially those located near farms or stagnant water; and controlling rats and mice around the home on a regular
basis.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The reported shortage of pork in certain parts of the country can be counterbalanced by an existing oversupply of chicken meat, according to local poultry producers.

In an interview on Thursday, Elias Jose Inciong, president of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA), said a confluence of high domestic production and aggressive importation has led to more supply of chicken meat than the public is likely to consume.

He said that in the run-up to December, local poultry raisers tried to boost their production in anticipation of the historically high Christmas demand, while meat importers similarly tried to raise their stocks by bringing in more frozen chicken.

Inciong said the resulting glut in chicken supply, coupled with a surprisingly modest demand despite the holidays, has forced farmgate prices to plummet, even while retail prices of dressed chicken have only decreased modestly.

‘This can be substitution under certain circumstances. People can opt for chicken instead of pork. But we leave
that up to the market. The current oversupply in chicken meat is overwhelming,’ he told the Philippine News Agency.

Danilo Fausto, president of Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, Inc. (PCAFI), said the reported pork shortage in Oriental Mindoro ‘could be somewhat exaggerated.’

It was reported by certain media outlets that out of one city and 14 municipalities in the province, only five towns remain free of African swine fever (ASF).

The level of ASF infection in the province has supposedly resulted in the significant drop in pork supply, creating a conundrum in view of an expected spike in demand during the holiday season.

However, Fausto said Batangas province is only a short boat ride away, and it is a relatively simple matter to import pork from there to Oriental Mindoro to meet the demand of the latter province’s consumers.

Fausto also acknowledged that encouraging consumers to serve more poultry where pork supply is currently irregular is a viable option, especially in view of the oversuppl
y in chicken today.

Meanwhile, the PCAFI is also advocating for more stringent biosecurity measures in Oriental Mindoro’s ports and tighter quarantine protocols for moving meat between its towns in view of the ASF outbreak, which has dealt a strong blow to the province’s pork production sector.

The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PPFP) is an affiliate organization to the PCAFI.

‘We recently met with some Oriental Mindoro officials, and we suggested that they implement stricter biosecurity measures where needed… like ports and other places where ASF can be transmitted. Oriental Mindoro is a very important component to achieving food autonomy. It produces a surplus of rice… the province can contribute much to the food needs of NCR (National Capital Region) and Calabarzon,’ Fausto added.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The reported shortage of pork in certain parts of the country can be counterbalanced by an existing oversupply of chicken meat, according to local poultry producers.

In an interview on Thursday, Elias Jose Inciong, president of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA), said a confluence of high domestic production and aggressive importation has led to more supply of chicken meat than the public is likely to consume.

He said that in the run-up to December, local poultry raisers tried to boost their production in anticipation of the historically high Christmas demand, while meat importers similarly tried to raise their stocks by bringing in more frozen chicken.

Inciong said the resulting glut in chicken supply, coupled with a surprisingly modest demand despite the holidays, has forced farmgate prices to plummet, even while retail prices of dressed chicken have only decreased modestly.

‘This can be substitution under certain circumstances. People can opt for chicken instead of pork. But we leave
that up to the market. The current oversupply in chicken meat is overwhelming,’ he told the Philippine News Agency.

Danilo Fausto, president of Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, Inc. (PCAFI), said the reported pork shortage in Oriental Mindoro ‘could be somewhat exaggerated.’

It was reported by certain media outlets that out of one city and 14 municipalities in the province, only five towns remain free of African swine fever (ASF).

The level of ASF infection in the province has supposedly resulted in the significant drop in pork supply, creating a conundrum in view of an expected spike in demand during the holiday season.

However, Fausto said Batangas province is only a short boat ride away, and it is a relatively simple matter to import pork from there to Oriental Mindoro to meet the demand of the latter province’s consumers.

Fausto also acknowledged that encouraging consumers to serve more poultry where pork supply is currently irregular is a viable option, especially in view of the oversuppl
y in chicken today.

Meanwhile, the PCAFI is also advocating for more stringent biosecurity measures in Oriental Mindoro’s ports and tighter quarantine protocols for moving meat between its towns in view of the ASF outbreak, which has dealt a strong blow to the province’s pork production sector.

The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PPFP) is an affiliate organization to the PCAFI.

‘We recently met with some Oriental Mindoro officials, and we suggested that they implement stricter biosecurity measures where needed… like ports and other places where ASF can be transmitted. Oriental Mindoro is a very important component to achieving food autonomy. It produces a surplus of rice… the province can contribute much to the food needs of NCR (National Capital Region) and Calabarzon,’ Fausto added.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The reported shortage of pork in certain parts of the country can be counterbalanced by an existing oversupply of chicken meat, according to local poultry producers.

In an interview on Thursday, Elias Jose Inciong, president of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA), said a confluence of high domestic production and aggressive importation has led to more supply of chicken meat than the public is likely to consume.

He said that in the run-up to December, local poultry raisers tried to boost their production in anticipation of the historically high Christmas demand, while meat importers similarly tried to raise their stocks by bringing in more frozen chicken.

Inciong said the resulting glut in chicken supply, coupled with a surprisingly modest demand despite the holidays, has forced farmgate prices to plummet, even while retail prices of dressed chicken have only decreased modestly.

‘This can be substitution under certain circumstances. People can opt for chicken instead of pork. But we leave
that up to the market. The current oversupply in chicken meat is overwhelming,’ he told the Philippine News Agency.

Danilo Fausto, president of Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, Inc. (PCAFI), said the reported pork shortage in Oriental Mindoro ‘could be somewhat exaggerated.’

It was reported by certain media outlets that out of one city and 14 municipalities in the province, only five towns remain free of African swine fever (ASF).

The level of ASF infection in the province has supposedly resulted in the significant drop in pork supply, creating a conundrum in view of an expected spike in demand during the holiday season.

However, Fausto said Batangas province is only a short boat ride away, and it is a relatively simple matter to import pork from there to Oriental Mindoro to meet the demand of the latter province’s consumers.

Fausto also acknowledged that encouraging consumers to serve more poultry where pork supply is currently irregular is a viable option, especially in view of the oversuppl
y in chicken today.

Meanwhile, the PCAFI is also advocating for more stringent biosecurity measures in Oriental Mindoro’s ports and tighter quarantine protocols for moving meat between its towns in view of the ASF outbreak, which has dealt a strong blow to the province’s pork production sector.

The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PPFP) is an affiliate organization to the PCAFI.

‘We recently met with some Oriental Mindoro officials, and we suggested that they implement stricter biosecurity measures where needed… like ports and other places where ASF can be transmitted. Oriental Mindoro is a very important component to achieving food autonomy. It produces a surplus of rice… the province can contribute much to the food needs of NCR (National Capital Region) and Calabarzon,’ Fausto added.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The reported shortage of pork in certain parts of the country can be counterbalanced by an existing oversupply of chicken meat, according to local poultry producers.

In an interview on Thursday, Elias Jose Inciong, president of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA), said a confluence of high domestic production and aggressive importation has led to more supply of chicken meat than the public is likely to consume.

He said that in the run-up to December, local poultry raisers tried to boost their production in anticipation of the historically high Christmas demand, while meat importers similarly tried to raise their stocks by bringing in more frozen chicken.

Inciong said the resulting glut in chicken supply, coupled with a surprisingly modest demand despite the holidays, has forced farmgate prices to plummet, even while retail prices of dressed chicken have only decreased modestly.

‘This can be substitution under certain circumstances. People can opt for chicken instead of pork. But we leave
that up to the market. The current oversupply in chicken meat is overwhelming,’ he told the Philippine News Agency.

Danilo Fausto, president of Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, Inc. (PCAFI), said the reported pork shortage in Oriental Mindoro ‘could be somewhat exaggerated.’

It was reported by certain media outlets that out of one city and 14 municipalities in the province, only five towns remain free of African swine fever (ASF).

The level of ASF infection in the province has supposedly resulted in the significant drop in pork supply, creating a conundrum in view of an expected spike in demand during the holiday season.

However, Fausto said Batangas province is only a short boat ride away, and it is a relatively simple matter to import pork from there to Oriental Mindoro to meet the demand of the latter province’s consumers.

Fausto also acknowledged that encouraging consumers to serve more poultry where pork supply is currently irregular is a viable option, especially in view of the oversuppl
y in chicken today.

Meanwhile, the PCAFI is also advocating for more stringent biosecurity measures in Oriental Mindoro’s ports and tighter quarantine protocols for moving meat between its towns in view of the ASF outbreak, which has dealt a strong blow to the province’s pork production sector.

The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PPFP) is an affiliate organization to the PCAFI.

‘We recently met with some Oriental Mindoro officials, and we suggested that they implement stricter biosecurity measures where needed… like ports and other places where ASF can be transmitted. Oriental Mindoro is a very important component to achieving food autonomy. It produces a surplus of rice… the province can contribute much to the food needs of NCR (National Capital Region) and Calabarzon,’ Fausto added.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The reported shortage of pork in certain parts of the country can be counterbalanced by an existing oversupply of chicken meat, according to local poultry producers.

In an interview on Thursday, Elias Jose Inciong, president of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA), said a confluence of high domestic production and aggressive importation has led to more supply of chicken meat than the public is likely to consume.

He said that in the run-up to December, local poultry raisers tried to boost their production in anticipation of the historically high Christmas demand, while meat importers similarly tried to raise their stocks by bringing in more frozen chicken.

Inciong said the resulting glut in chicken supply, coupled with a surprisingly modest demand despite the holidays, has forced farmgate prices to plummet, even while retail prices of dressed chicken have only decreased modestly.

‘This can be substitution under certain circumstances. People can opt for chicken instead of pork. But we leave
that up to the market. The current oversupply in chicken meat is overwhelming,’ he told the Philippine News Agency.

Danilo Fausto, president of Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, Inc. (PCAFI), said the reported pork shortage in Oriental Mindoro ‘could be somewhat exaggerated.’

It was reported by certain media outlets that out of one city and 14 municipalities in the province, only five towns remain free of African swine fever (ASF).

The level of ASF infection in the province has supposedly resulted in the significant drop in pork supply, creating a conundrum in view of an expected spike in demand during the holiday season.

However, Fausto said Batangas province is only a short boat ride away, and it is a relatively simple matter to import pork from there to Oriental Mindoro to meet the demand of the latter province’s consumers.

Fausto also acknowledged that encouraging consumers to serve more poultry where pork supply is currently irregular is a viable option, especially in view of the oversuppl
y in chicken today.

Meanwhile, the PCAFI is also advocating for more stringent biosecurity measures in Oriental Mindoro’s ports and tighter quarantine protocols for moving meat between its towns in view of the ASF outbreak, which has dealt a strong blow to the province’s pork production sector.

The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines (PPFP) is an affiliate organization to the PCAFI.

‘We recently met with some Oriental Mindoro officials, and we suggested that they implement stricter biosecurity measures where needed… like ports and other places where ASF can be transmitted. Oriental Mindoro is a very important component to achieving food autonomy. It produces a surplus of rice… the province can contribute much to the food needs of NCR (National Capital Region) and Calabarzon,’ Fausto added.
Source: Philippines News Agency