A farmer takes care of his pigs in Dong Nai Province. Dong Nai Province has uncovered another case of African swine fever, at Phu Son Livestock JSC’s pig farm

Tran Van Quang, head of the Dong Nai Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, on June 24 confirmed that ASF has hit 24 communes in eight districts and cities: Trang Bom, Vinh Cuu, Xuan Loc, Thong Nhat, Nhon Trach, Long Thanh, Tan Phu and Bien Hoa.

Quang stated that this was the largest-ever ASF outbreak in the province.

Dong Nai Province has culled some 25,000 sick pigs to date, Quang said, adding that ASF’s rampant spread in the province had resulted from pig farms’ failure to apply biological safety and antiepidemic measures.

In addition, many pig farmers are still building old-fashioned piggeries, and their sanitary measures and disinfection methods remain poor even though their herds are up to thousands of pigs, Quang said.

Further, the spread of ASF has been aided by rivers and streams contaminated with the disease. Farmers tend to use water from rivers and streams to bathe and feed their pigs, he noted.

The province has asked the authorities of districts and communes and their residents to take strong action in fighting the disease to contain its spread.

Applying adequate biological safety measures and disinfection methods and enhancing inspections and checks on slaughter, trading and transport activities are necessary to curtail the spread of ASF. SGT

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