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In early August China's MOA reported their country's first occurrence of African Swine Fever (in Liaoning Province), which was followed up a month later with 4 more retrospective reports from the same region. From the OIE report.
In total 19,373 pigs were killed and disposed of, including 8,116 pigs in the epidemic area and 11,257 pigs in the process of screening and tracing. Seven new pathogenic positive cases were detected from 59 samples collected from 4 pig farms in 2 towns of Shenbei New District.Yesterday the provincial government announced the removal of their blockade on the shipping of pigs from that region, citing no new occurrences over the past 6 weeks. This from Xinhua news yesterday.
Lifting the blockade of the African pig plague area in Shenyang, Liaoning Province
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 29th
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs received a report from the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department of Liaoning Province on the 29th. After passing the assessment and acceptance, the African pig plague area in Shenyang, Liaoning Province has been lifted.
(SNIP)
After the completion of the culling of the pigs in the epidemic area, after 6 weeks of continuous monitoring and investigation, no new cases and monitoring were found in the affected areas. The local animal husbandry and veterinary department tested the epidemic area and checked the situation of the epidemic, in line with the regulations on the lifting of the blockade in the epidemic area. The African swine fever has been extinguished. The local government issued an unblocking order to lift the blockade of the infected area.
(Continue . . . )
This welcome news was short lived, however, as twenty-four hours later the MOA has announced 5 new outbreaks in and around Yingkou City, Liaoning Province - about 100 miles south and west of Shenyang.
African swine fever epidemic in Yingkou City, Liaoning Province
Date: 2018-09-30 17:11 Author: Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Press Office
The Information Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs was released on September 30, and an epidemic of pigs and African pigs occurred in Yingkou City, Liaoning Province.
On September 28th, the Liaoning Provincial Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center detected that some samples sent by Yingkou City according to the special monitoring program were positive for African piglet nucleic acid.
On September 30, it was diagnosed as African swine fever by the China Center for Animal Health and Epidemiology (National Center for Animal Disease Research).
The positive samples were from five farmer households in Dashiqiao City and Laobian District of Yingkou City. There were 378 live pigs and 102 deaths.
Immediately after the outbreak, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs sent a steering group to the local area. The local government has started the emergency response mechanism as required, and adopted measures such as blockade, culling, harmless treatment, disinfection, etc., to treat all the sick and culled pigs harmlessly. At the same time, all live pigs and susceptible animals and products are prohibited from entering or leaving the blockade. At present, the above epidemic has been effectively disposed of.
Although the `official' count varies from source to source, the number of outbreaks in China since early august is well over two dozen across 8 provinces and/or territories.
While ASF doesn't pose a health risk to humans, it is truly a nightmare disease for pig producers - and with no vaccine available - the only way to control it is to cull all of the pigs that may have been exposed.For more on the growing threat of ASF to China, its neighbors, Europe, and potentially the world, you may wish to revisit:
FAO: African Swine Fever (ASF) `Here to Stay' In Asia
African swine fever (ASF) threatens to spread from China to other Asian countries
Russia: Rosselkhoznadzor Tracing ASF Contaminated Meat Products
UK: DEFRA Preliminary Assessment Of ASF Reported In Belgium
