HCMC – The recurrence of the African swine fever (ASF) in many localities nationwide has led to the culling of 5,856 affected pigs as of June 28, according to a Department of Animal Health official.
The disease has been reported in 143 communes of 14 provinces, with one commune being newly hit, stated Tran Thi Thu Phuong, chief of the Department’s Division of International Cooperation and Communication.
To date, ASF outbreaks have occurred in 255 communes of 20 provinces and cities across the country for less than 30 days.
In the northern province of Lai Chau, the highly contagious disease, which has spread to four of the seven communes and wards of Lai Chau City, led to 100 sick pigs being killed.
The province has taken drastic measures to fight ASF, but it is at risk of facing a wider spread as the deadly disease had earlier struck 93 of its 108 communes and wards, noted Nguyen Anh Hung, head of the Lai Chau Animal Health Division.
In Cao Bang, the ASF recurrence had killed 600 pigs by June 24, with 138 farming households in nine of the 10 districts and towns affected. The scattered outbreaks have left this northern upland province struggling to curb the spread of the disease.
The disease, which poses obstacles for pig repopulation plans, has also prompted the culling of 97 pigs in Quang Ninh, another northern province, confirmed Quang Ninh’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Amid the fresh outbreak of the fatal disease, the Department of Animal Health has urged localities to intensify measures to prevent and control its spread.
