Authorities in the central province of Nghe An are trying to curb the African swine fever epidemic that has quickly spread in the area.
Head of the Nghe An Provincial Department of Animal Health, Dang Van Minh, said on October 18 that the African swine fever epidemic had spread to the districts of Yen Thanh, Dien Chau, and Quy Hop, causing big losses for local farmers.
"More than 500 pigs weighing over 21 tonnes in Yen Thanh District have had to be culled to contain the spread of African swine fever," Minh said. "Quy Chau District has also had to cull nearly 120 pigs weighing nearly nine tonnes from 78 households as the epidemic started spreading. Neighbouring Quy Hop District also found the first infections in late September.
The local Department of Animal Health warns that the epidemic may spread more during the coming winter as the animals' health deteriorates in the cold weather.
Local farmers are advised to closely monitor their pigs and inform local authorities of any cases as soon as possible.
Vietnam detected the first outbreak of African swine fever in February 2019 and the disease spread to all 63 provinces and cities across the country within just seven months, resulting in the culling of six million pigs, equivalent to 20 percent of the total pig herd.
Vietnam has recently become the first country to successfully develop and produce two vaccines against African swine fever, a disease that first appeared in Africa in 1921 with a mortality rate of up to 100 percent.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, more than 650,000 doses of the vaccines had recently been tested on pig herds in 40 provinces throughout the country, with a 95 percent success rate.
Vaccine producers are working with local authorities to implement vaccination campaigns for pig herds nationwide.
