BACOLOD CITY, June 22 -- Some local government units in Negros Occidental have strengthened preventive biosecurity measures amid reports of swine deaths in the southern part of the province.

Initial findings of the Provincial Veterinary Office attributed animal mortalities to weather conditions while massive surveillance is underway to determine the cause of deaths.

On Monday, La Castellana Mayor Anejo Nicor ordered the temporary prohibition on the entry live pigs, swine semen, fresh, chilled, frozen, processed or cooked pork, and pork-derived and processed products in the central Negros town.

"This temporary prohibition is adopted solely as a precautionary biosecurity measure to protect local hog raisers, preserve the local swine pop...