#13,489
Although China's Ministry of Agriculture Epidemic web page hasn't been updated in two days, the OIE has been notified of 4 new ASF outbreaks in Liaoning province.
Liaoning Province - located next to North Korea - was the first Chinese province to report ASF in early August (see China MOA: 1st Reported Outbreak Of African Swine Fever (ASF)), and has - until now - submitted weekly reports citing no new occurrences.Their 4th weekly follow-up, however, shows four new outbreaks among what appear to be smallholders in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province.
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection
Unknown or inconclusive
Epidemiological comments
Blockade, disinfection and screening detection measures continue to be implemented in the infected areas in Liaoning Province. Up to August 29, 246,100 farms and 63,861,600 pigs were screened. Investigation of the infected areas in Liaoning province has been completed.
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. Details of 7 pathogenic positive cases are provided below.
1. 3 pig farms in Cailuo yi village of Cailuo subdistrict. Farm 1: There were 160 pigs on the farm. 15 whole blood samples were taken from the farm, from which 3 samples tested positive. Farm 2: There were 55 pigs on the farm. 10 whole blood samples were taken from the farm, from which one sample tested positive. Farm 3: There were 216 pigs on the farm. 20 whole blood samples were taken from the farm, from which 2 samples tested positive.
2. 1 pig farms in Yinjia village of Yinjia subdistrict. The Farm: There were 140 pigs on the farm. 14 whole blood samples were taken from the farm, from which one sample tested positive. All pigs were killed, disposal of bodies, all contact materials and disinfection for infected sites have been completed.
As I noted on Wednesday of this week, ASF outbreaks during the first 30 days were listed prominently on the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture's main page, but were removed earlier this week (creating a number of dead links), and moved (without notice or explanation) to a different page.World Animal Health Information and Analysis Department (WAHIAD, OIE) comment: In this report, the numbers of Susceptible and Killed and disposed of animals in the first outbreak (Shenbei Street) were updated by the country.
Since then, both old and new outbreaks have been posted to a harder-to-find page, 3 levels deep:
Home > public > Emergency Management > epidemic releasedUp until now, we've seen ASF outbreaks announced by China's MOA before we've seen them published by the OIE. As for today's OIE reveal, we'll simply have to wait to see if this represents a change in the way China will report outbreaks going forward.
In the meantime, four new outbreaks in Liaoning Province - coming 30 days after the initial outbreak - only helps to reinforce yesterday's analysis by the FAO: African Swine Fever (ASF) `Here to Stay' In Asia.
