VOV.VN- The northern province of Lao Cai People’s Committee has requested localities in the region cease their transportation of pigs from areas affected by the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak and asked the Vietnam Expressway Corporation to co-operate in enforcing tight controls on the Noi Bai-Lao Cai highway.

Accordingly, the provincial People’s Committee has asked localities and agencies to mobilise all necessary resources in order to prevent the further spreading of the epidemic.

At national highways and major routes across the province, nearly 20 quarantine checkpoints have been established in a bid to closely monitor the vehicles that pass through the region.

The animal husbandry and veterinary branch under the provincial department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the ASF epidemic was reported in 35 households in five hamlets in the communes of Ban Lau and Lung Vai in Muong Khuong district between May 11 and May 19. A total of 310 infected pigs have also been culled so far.

In addition, veterinary workers were also forced to cull seven dead pigs out of a group of 32 at pig-farming households in Bao Yen district as results taken from the pig farm tested positive for the ASF virus.

According to a report by the provincial animal husbandry and veterinary branch, veterinary workers have culled a total of 363 infected pigs from 37 households across four communes in the districts of Muong Khuong, Bao Thang, and Bao Yen, as of May 19.

The epidemic in the region has been attributed to the trading and transportation of pigs, pork products, and cattle feed by local residents from other localities into the province.

Meanwhile, Phu Tho province has destroyed 72 tons of pigs that have been infected by the ASF virus.

The Ha Hoa district People’s Committee has also declared an ASF epidemic in the communes of Vinh Chan and Mai Tung.

According to a report released by Phu Tho province’s department of Agriculture and Rural Department, sick and dead pigs were detected in 48 pig-farming households in 38 communes and wards across 11 districts in the region between February 19 and May 19.

Veterinary workers in the locality were forced to cull 1,058 infected pigs while 25 sick pigs in the districts of Phu Ninh and Doan Hung have also been strictly monitored.

To cope with the complicated nature of the development of the ASF virus, the proivnce has set up 15 mobile inspection teams and six quarantine stations at provincial and district levels on major transport routes and the Noi Bai-Lao Cai highway route.

277 inspection teams and 17 quarantine checkpoints at commune levels have also been set up to monitor the transportation, slaughter, and trading of pigs in the region.