2 further outbreaks of African Swine Fever in China

Two new outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) have been discovered in the Sichuan and Qinghai provinces of China, according to international reports.

The news was purportedly confirmed to international media outlet Reuters by the Chinese Ministry for Agriculture.

According to the outlet, the new outbreaks were discovered in the provinces of Sichuan and Qinghai.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a statement on its website that the new case discovered in the city of Bazhong in Sichuan resulted in the deaths of 19 out of 117 pigs present on the farm in question.

Meanwhile, the case in the city of Xining in Qinghai killed 14 of 69 pigs present on a farm, Reuters reports.

Last month, it was confirmed that ASF had been discovered on two farms in Beijing – which were the first cases discovered in the Chinese capital.

As reported by Reuters, the ministry confirmed that ASF had been discovered on two farms in Fangshan district, in the south-west of Beijing.

First reported in China in August 2018, ASF has since hit numerous farms around the country, with approximately 70 cases reported since.

The chief veterinary officer of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Dr. Juan Lubroth met with Chinese Vice Minister of Agriculture Yu Kangzhen and chief veterinary officer Zhang Zhongqiu in Beijing.

Dr. Lubroth “spoke highly of the decisive measures adopted by China to prevent and control ASF”, according to the Chinese ministry.

Since the disease was first detected, thousands of pigs have been culled.