#13,955
Since my last update a little over a week ago, African Swine Fever has been detected in 3 more Vietnamese provinces (Thua Thien - Hue Province, Lai Chau and Bac Giang) bringing the nation's total over the past 5 weeks to 21 provinces.
The virus's recent jump south to Thua Thien - Hue in central Vietnam, along with concerns over the virus moving into Cambodia, or Laos, only further exacerbate concerns.While ASF does not infect humans, the stakes here are incredibly high - both for the pork industry - and for countries who often already struggle to feed their growing populations.
Today we've a long (machine translated) report from Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture (MARD) on the formation of a national steering committee for the prevention of ASF, and the latest butcher's bill from the disease, which has now spread to nearly 450 communes across the nation.
(Date 26/03/2019)
Establishment of the National Steering Committee for prevention of African Hog Cholera
Morning 26/3, in Hanoi, MARD organized a meeting announced the decision of the Prime Minister established the National Steering Committee on the prevention of African Swine Fever. Steering Committee headed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong as its head, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development is the Vice Chairman, Department of Animal Health (MARD) is the permanent body of the steering committee.
Apart from 11 ministries Surgeons, the national steering committee on prevention also include the participation of the National Steering Committee against smuggling, commercial fraud and counterfeiting; Representative of Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, Central Vietnam Farmers Association, Central Vietnam Red Cross ...
Report the epidemic situation, Nguyen Van Long - Head of Epidemiology, Department of Animal Health (MARD) - said the disease occurred in 447 communes, 84 districts of 21 provinces and cities including: Hung Yen, Thai Binh, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Ha Noi, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Hoa Binh, Dien Bien, Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Lang Son, Bac Kan, Son La, Nghe An, Bac Ninh Thua Thien - Hue Province, Lai Chau and Bac Giang, with total pig disease and destruction are 64 879 children. The first phase, African Swine Fever is mainly appears in small farms, sanitation and biosecurity not good.
According to Nguyen Van Long, the status of small farmers to use surplus food, no heat treatment is also one of the reasons that the spread of the disease, outbreaks. This is also the point of the outbreak occurred in the provinces of Nam Dinh, Thai Nguyen and Hanoi.
Notably, African Swine Fever has spread in pig breeding farm scale. In particular, in Hung Yen, epidemics occur at 4,500 pig farms in the commune, Dong Tao, Khoai Chau district.
To quarantine, control and prevent infectious diseases, according to Nguyen Van Long, organizations need to strictly control the transport of pigs and pig products through local production. Strict implementation of quarantine procedures transportation; sanitation and spray disinfectant of transportation and transportation of participants; organize samples for suspected cases of swine diseases, swine superior product carriers to promptly detect and handle destruction thoroughly to avoid spreading the disease. Full layout veterinary force, market management, police and the forces involved to organize strictly controlled 24/24 of pigs and pig products transported through the province, especially provinces and cities have road transport from north to south.
Pause transporting pigs, the pigs from the affected areas from the area (affected areas) over a period of 30 days after the pig finally getting Swine Fever in Africa was destroyed in the province. Breeding base has been recognized disease free or joined a monitoring program, sampling has tested negative for the disease (including Swine Fever in Africa), the pigs do not have symptoms of African swine Fever within 30 days prior to shipping, are allowed to transport from infected areas under the guidance of management bodies provincial veterinary profession.
On the basis of comments on the happenings of hog cholera in Africa today, the participants said that the epidemic will occur long and need to build the operation regulation of the Steering Committee of the national prevention and control of disease African swine Fever to members close coordination; Government proposals, the Prime Minister on measures in the fight against epidemics and sustainable animal husbandry, biosecurity measures are long and decisions; The government proposed the draft proposal to the Secretariat issued Directive from which to mobilize the combined strength of the entire society and the political system to prevent and control epidemics.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Head of the National Steering Prevention Swine Fever in Africa, said that despite implementing many measures simultaneously but this disease still is unfolding very complex and are spread quickly. Actual survey found that, in a locality if the political system does not translate at all, spread or maintain the status quo, no new outbreaks.
At the meeting, Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong emphasized, the establishment of the Steering Committee are necessary in the context of service is complicated and spread fast. Ministries, agencies and units Surgeons must jointly implement prevention measures, prevent the spread of disease, especially propaganda to people not to panic, turn away from pork.
The Steering Committee shall assist the Prime Minister in directing and administering preventive African Swine Fever across the country; coordinate with ministries, mass organizations to mobilize resources involved and support the implementation of the emergency plan for prevention of African Swine Fever; organize and supervise ministries, sectors and localities to implement disease prevention plan CSF Africa.
Meanwhile, officials reports of outbreaks of ASF from China have nearly dried up, with just 3 reported during this month of March:
- Chongqing Shizhu occurrence of African swine fever epidemic 2019-03-21
- African swine fever outbreak occurred in Sichuan Linshui 2019-03-12
- Guangxi Guigang City Southern District of Hong Kong occurrence of African swine fever epidemic 2019-03-07
There are, admittedly, a lot of pig diseases in China, including FMD, PED & PRRS - and other factors - such as cold snaps or contaminated feed - that can cause high pig mortality.Nevertheless, there remains a high level of suspicion that ASF in China isn't as well controlled as the official reports would suggest.
