Philippines culls 6,000 pigs to contain disease

Workers in protective suits have begun culling 6,000 pigs at a northern Philippine farm to prevent the spread of the Ebola Reston virus that has infected some of the animals.

Workers in protective suits have begun culling 6,000 pigs at a northern Philippine farm to prevent the spread of the Ebola Reston virus that has infected some of the animals.

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Health officials say six farm and slaughterhouse workers in Bulacan province had developed antibodies to the virus after coming in contact with infected pigs but none of them have had any serious illness in the last 12 months.

Provincial health officer Dr. Jocelyn Gomez said Monday it would take about a week for all the farm hogs to be slaughtered at a rate of 1,000 a day.

The rare virus was first discovered in monkeys south of Manila in 1989. Out of at least 25 people who had been infected at the time, only one exhibited mild flu-like symptoms.