Avian Flu Diary: Vietnam MARD: 200+ ASF Outbreaks Across 7 Provinces & Cities

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The number of ASF outbreaks reported by Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture (MARD) has more than doubled since last Thursday's report, and has spread to a 7th province (Hai Duong).

Considering that it has been less than 2 weeks since Vietnam reported their First (3) Outbreaks Of African Swine Fever, it seems likely the virus has been spreading under the radar for some time.

This (translated) press release overnight from MARD:

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc online conference hosted control African Swine Fever

4/3 morning in Hanoi, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc online chaired implement urgent measures to control African Hog Cholera. Attending with Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung, Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong Agriculture and Rural Development; representatives of international organizations, ministries, sectors and localities have local service as well as high-risk.

Reports at the conference, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that from Day 01/2 - 03/3/2019, Hog Cholera Africa (DTLCP) occurred in 202 households, 64 villages, 33 communes, 14 districts of 7 provinces and cities including: Hung Yen, Thai Binh, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Ha Noi, Ha Nam and Hai Duong; total number of pigs infected and destroyed the 4231 figure, with a total weight of more than 297 tons destroyed.

DAH organizations take a total of 98 388 sample households around the household pig sick pigs for testing. Results have discovered vast majority of households around pigs negative, some families have positive pigs were government and professional agencies veterinary treatment immediately destroyed.

(Continue . . . )

The number of outbreaks reported by Vietnam over the past 13 days is nearly double what China has reported over the past 6 months, but most of Vietnam's outbreaks have occurred in small backyard operations, not large pig farms as we've seen in China.

While ASF doesn't pose a direct threat to human health, its global spread could certainly have adverse public health impacts.

The most immediate involve the culling of pigs, which can deprive local populations of both the economic benefits and food protein of pork production. A particularly harsh blow for low-income, food-insecure regions of the world.

But as ASF (and Classical Swine Fever (CSF), Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD), & Avian Flu) spread, they also inhibit international trade, and compartmentalize counties and economies.

As we've discussed often in this blog, food insecurity - whether due to disease, floods, droughts, or other causes - can bring on severe economic and societal challenges (see Iran: Bird Flu, Food Insecurity & Civil Unrest).

Given porous borders, and the largely unregulated sale and transport of pigs in Southeast Asia, it seems likely that the scourge of ASF is going to sweep across the region, much as it has in China, Eastern Europe, and Russia over the past decade.

For some of my recent ASF Blogs, you may wish to revisit: