(Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Agriculture
and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong chaired a meeting in Hanoi on March 14
to discuss solutions to curb and prevent further outbreaks of the African swine
fever (ASF), which is developing and likely to spread wildly.
He suggested focusing on the prevention of the
disease in small-scale households, cleaning the breeding facilities, and
strictly managing the transport of pigs.
ASF has occurred in 17 cities and provinces in
the north and so if not controlled well, it could spread to the south and
become more dangerous as the region is home to key livestock localities such as
Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City.
Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control
the transport of pigs on roads to the south, the minister stressed.
He also suggested implementing policies to
support the destruction of infected pigs while raising public awareness of the
issue.
Representatives from localities asked for
material and chemical support to implement disinfection and sterilisation.
Director of the Department of Animal Health Pham
Van Dong said as of March 14, the ASF was reported in 221 communes in 52
districts of 17 cities and provinces.
The total count of culled pigs was 23,422, he
said, adding that most of the ASF were found at small-scale
households.
The ASF does not affect humans but causes
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 being
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.
On the same day, Minister of Industry and Trade
Tran Tuan Anh had a with the Market Surveillance Agency and relevant
agencies under the ministry to discuss measures to minimise impacts of the
disease on the market.-VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
