Inside a pig farm (Illustrative photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The UN Food and
Agriculture Organisation () and (OIE)
have said they are willing to help Vietnam deal with the outbreak of African
swine fever (ASF).
Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper reported that
FAO is building an emergency aid project for Vietnam, estimated to be worth
about 500,000 USD.
Pawin Padungtod, Senior Technical
Coordinator of the FAO Emergency Centre for Trans-boundary Animal Diseases,
said the organisation will offer technical assistance and work with agencies
under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to control the disease.
Laure Weber-Vintzel, OIE Deputy Sub-Regional
Representative, said the OIE has collected information and shared it among its
members to help them respond to African swine fever outbreaks. The OIE is
willing to provide Vietnam technical support to fight the disease, she said.
At least 13 provinces across the country
have detected African swine fever infections, with the number of culled pigs
amounting to 12,000.
The newspaper also reported that this month,
a delegation of leading experts from across the world will visit Vietnam to
assist its efforts to curb the disease.
The virus does not affect humans but does
cause haemorrhagic fever in pigs and wild boars that is almost always fatal.
There is no antidote or vaccine, and 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.
According to the OIE, between 2017 and
February 18, 2019, 20 countries and regions have suffered from African swine
fever, with more than 1.08 million pigs culled.-VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
