HANOI, Sept 4 (NNN-VNA) – All Vietnam’s localities have been stricken by the African swine fever (ASF), after Central Ninh Thuan province recorded cases of the animal disease.
Specimens from pigs raised by a household in the province’s Ninh Son district have tested positive to the ASF virus, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Since the first ASF outbreak in Feb, in northern Hung Yen province, ASF had hit nearly 7,000 communes, 600 districts, 62 cities and provinces across Vietnam, leading to the culling of over four million pigs.
Local authorities have been implementing measures to strictly control the movement of pigs and pig products from infected communes, and mobilising their resources for pig culling and disposal.
They have also guided breeders to practice hygiene and antiseptic methods and not use leftovers to feed pigs, besides enhancing bio-security measures to protect pig herds after the epidemic is over.
Vietnam may have to import more pork later this year to make up for potential domestic shortages as ASF continues to spread, according to the country’s Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Early this year, Vietnam had some 27 million pigs, having the biggest pig population among Southeast Asian nations, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. On average, the number of pigs in Vietnam annually grew more than 0.9 percent in the 2015-2018 period.– NNN-VNA