#14,226
With the caveat that the FAO can only report what is reported to them by individual countries, we've their latest update on African Swine Fever in Asia.
Although international agricultural experts continue to forecast catastrophic losses - of 30% to 50% of China's pig herd - the official line from the MOA is that everything is under control. In late June China's state run media carried the following MOA statement:
African swine fever epidemic has been effectively controlled, poultry and other alternatives to increase supply. As of 6 May 16 , the National African swine fever outbreak were 137 , of which occurred this year, 38 cases, the average monthly number since the occurrence of significantly reduced, and are dotted occur. Currently, there are 26 provinces (autonomous regions) to lift the blockade affected areas, transporting pigs gradually restored order.And if you go by the numbers reported by China's MOA ( > 1,160,000 pigs culled) - which hasn't changed since the FAO's July 4th report - it would seem that it is so. But self-reported numbers aren't always 100% reliable, particularly when the stakes are so very high.
Vietnam, meanwhile, has reported the loss of an additional 700,000 pigs during the same 30 days, while North Korea has remained completely silent since their first reported outbreak in May.These FAO reports are quite lengthy and detailed, and so I've only posted a small excerpt. Follow the link to read it in its entirety. When you return, I'll have a postscript.
ASF situation in Asia update
02 August 2019, 09:00 hours; Rome
The next update will be issued in 08 August 2019
Situation update
Mongolia
Since its first report on 15 January 2019, 11 outbreaks in 6 provinces and in Ulaanbaatar have been reported, involving 105 farms/households. More than 3,115 pigs, more than 10 percent of the total pig population in Mongolia, have died/been destroyed due to the ASF outbreaks.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed the occurrence of the first ASF outbreak in Chagang-Do on 23 May 2019.
China(Continue . . . )
Since the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) confirmed its first ASF outbreak in Liaoning Province on 3 August 2018, 149 ASF outbreaks detected in 32 Provinces / Autonomous Regions / Municipalities / Special Administrative Region. More than 1,160,000 pigs have been culled in an effort to halt further spread.
Liaoning Province: Three vehicles transporting pigs into Guizhou Province from outside of the province were intercepted; 1 vehicle at a Haizhou Expressway exit in Kangping County, Shenyang City and 2 vehicles at a highway exit in Anmin Town, Xifeng County, Tieling City respectively. Altogether 22 of 205 pigs on the vehicles found dead; samples collected from the pig(s) tested positive for ASF [reference1, reference2]Viet Nam
Hubei Province: ASF was detected on a farm in Wanquan Town, Honghu City; 9 of 32 became sick and 3 died of the disease [reference].
Since the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) confirmed its first ASF outbreak on 19 February 2019, a total of 62 provinces/cities reported outbreaks, about 3,700,000 pigs have been culled.
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry confirmed its first ASF outbreak in Toumlan District, Salavane Province on 20 June 2019. New ASF outbreak occurred in Monesavanh and Had xeui Villages, Khoua District on 11 July, and in Boun Neua District, in Phongsaly Province [reference1, reference2].
Cambodia
Since the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries confirmed the first ASF outbreak in Ratanakiri Province on 2 April 2019, ASF outbreaks were detected in 5 Provinces.
Whether we are talking about African Swine Fever in North Korea and China, Avian Flu anywhere in Asia or Egypt, or MERS in the Middle East, it is always difficult to know whether a lack of reporting truly indicates a lack of cases.
With the exception of the year-long Ebola outbreak in the DRC, this has been the quietest infectious disease outbreak summer I've seen since I began this blog in 2006.While reporting suggests that avian flu and MERS-CoV are at seasonal nadirs, as long as disease outbreaks are treated as more of a political or national security issue than as global health concerns, a certain degree of Caveat Lector is recommended.
