Veterinarian takes sample to test for African swine fever (Source: VNA)Quang Nam (VNA) — Two animal inspection stations wereestablished on March 20 on the National Highway No 1 section in Nui Thanh districtof Quang Nam central province to control pig transportation from northernprovinces and cities.
The move aims to control the spread of African swine fever, which has beenreported in 20 provinces and cities so far.
Pham Bao Hoai, head of the animal inspection station in the north of Quang Nam provincesaid the number of transported pigs, types of pigs and their hygiene on eachvehicle would be checked.
Vehicles without legal documents and those who can’t show the origin of thepigs would be punished. Officers will spray disinfectants on pigs of unknownorigin, he said.
The disease was spread from the north and has reached the central province ofThua Thien-Hue.
Quang Nam has 500,000 pigs being raised, mostly in small-scale farms.
The provincial People’s Committee has ordered local Department of Agricultureand Rural Development to test pigs raised in big farms, slaughterhouses and onpigs suspected of being infected with the virus.
According to Nguyen Thanh Nam, head of the provincial sub-department of livestock production and veterinary, the unithas taken samples of 21 dead pigs and has not found any signs of Africanswine fever.
In other central and southern provinces andcities, pig inspections have been carried out to prevent further spread of thefever.
Tran Thi Tai, deputy head of Da Nang city’s sub-department of livestock production and veterinary, said theunit had stepped up inspections, ordered clean-ups of slaughterhouses andsprayed disinfectant around sewers, pig farms and wastewater treatmentfacilities.
A representative of the agricultural sector ofsouthern Binh Phuoc province said inspections had been tightened at bordergates and roads on vehicles from affected countries.
In the southern province of Dong Nai, one of the biggest pig-raising areasin the country with more than 2.5 pigs, local authorities have set up asteering committee on African swine fever prevention and control.
They have also ordered testing the pigs suspected of infection and the cullingof those found to be infected.-VNA
VNA
