VOV.VN - The first outbreak of African swine fever (AFS) has been discovered in Tan Phu town, Dong Phu district in the southern province of Binh Phuoc, according to Tran Van Loc, the provincial director of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Mr Loc announced that the province’s first ASF outbreak was detected among a pig flock belonging to a local resident in Tan Lien street, Tan Phu town, Dong Phu district. 

The local resident noticed his pig flock showing symptoms of ASF and reported it to the town’s local veterinary centre on May 6. 

By May 8 however, four of the seven pigs he owned were dead. Samples that were taken by veterinary workers from the infected pig farm later tested positive for the ASF virus.  

Following current regulations, all the infected pigs were culled while disinfectants were sprayed throughout the contaminated pig farm in order to prevent the epidemic from spreading further. 

The provincial department of Agriculture and Rural Development, along with relevant agencies, held an urgent meeting on May 9 to discuss drastic measures against the epidemic and how to direct communities on what proactive actions to take to fight the spread of the disease. 

Two quarantine checkpoints were set up in the districts of Dong Phu and Chon Thanh to monitor the transportation of pigs and pork products while strict controls were also placed on the Hoang Dieu international border gate in Loc Ninh district.