INQUIRER Global Nation

TACLOBAN CITY—More than 100 carabaos afflicted with hemorrhagic septicemia have died in two towns in Samar Island this month, agriculture authorities said.

The hemorrhagic septicemia has killed 105 carabaos in Lapinig town, Northern Samar and in the neighboring town of Arteche, Eastern Samar.

Of this number, 40 were from the villages of Palanas, May-igot and Mabini in Lapinig while the remaining 65 were from the villages of Tibalawon, Aguinaldo and Catumsan in Arteche.

The first deaths from hemorrhagic septicemia occurred in the first week of June with the death of five carabaos in Catumasan and Tibalawon villages.

But the Department of Agriculture (DA) Eastern Visayas regional director Cañeda said that the DA has established a buffer zone of three kilometers away from all the affected villages since last week to ensure that there would be no movements of carabaos. The establishment of the zone would check the spread of the virus, which caused the disease, he said.

Aside from limiting the movements of the afflicted animals, Cañeda said the DA has also banned their slaughter. /INQUIRER