Localities throughout the country have been active in taking concrete measures to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF).

The northern province of Lao Cai convened an urgent meeting on March 6 to direct the implementation of prevention measures.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Duong requested relevant forces to strictly control the entry of pigs and pork products into the province through border routes, highways, and river passages.

He assigned the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Industry and Trade, Department of Health, and Sub-department of Market Management to set up inspection teams across nine cities and districts, as well as instructed livestock households to disinfect their breeding facilities.

The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has built an ASF prevention plan, focusing on supervision over trade and transport of pigs and pork products.

The southern province of Ben Tre and the northern province of Nam Dinh have set up inspection stations to control the import of pigs and pork products from other provinces.

Meanwhile, the central province of Ha Tinh, where a large source of food and cattle-feed is transported through to other southern provinces, has been increasing its examination of livestock trade and transport.

The Central Highland province of Dak Lak has issued an urgent notice to relevant departments to intensify measures to prevent the disease.

The ASF virus does not affect humans but does cause haemorrhagic fever in pigs and wild boars that is almost always fatal. There is currently no antidote or vaccine, with the only known preventative measure is a mass cull of infected livestock. The disease spreads by contact between infected pigs or other wild animals and can inflict massive economic damage on farms.

The virus is developing in a complex manner with more than 4,200 infected pigs in nine provinces nationwide culled so far. –VNA