African swine fever has officially been found in two Quezon City barangays. If you’re a staunch meat-eater though, don’t put down your knife and fork just yet. According to the World Organization for Animal Health, the virus does not pose a risk to humans, but just to be safe, the Quezon City Government has asked consumers to be extra careful when buying pork.Â
First, buyers should look for meat inspection certificates as proof that the pork underwent a thorough inspection by the proper authorities. Plus, slaughterhouses should stamp their products to ensure that the meat is fit for human consumption. If a shop is unable to provide a certificate, stamp, or both, then you can report it to the Quezon City Veterinary Office through 988-4242, local 8036.
The Department of Health has also reminded people to make sure pork is cooked properly before eating. Plus, you can also look for markings to show that the pork has been checked by the National Meat Inspection Service, a regulatory agency under the Department of Agriculture.
African swine fever (ASF) is a viral disease that affects both wild and domestic pigs and almost always results in their death. While the virus does not affect human health, it could cause a severe drop in pork production, resulting in huge economic losses and, well, perhaps even not enough Christmas ham. Humans could also become transmitters of the virus, so hog handlers have been advised to level up their hygiene practices.Â
This story originally appeared on Spot.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Yummy.ph editors.
