Inside a pig farm (Illustrative photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - The UN Food andAgriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)have said they are willing to help Vietnam deal with the outbreak of Africanswine fever (ASF).
Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper reported thatFAO is building an emergency aid project for Vietnam, estimated to be worthabout 500,000 USD.
Pawin Padungtod, Senior TechnicalCoordinator of the FAO Emergency Centre for Trans-boundary Animal Diseases,said the organisation will offer technical assistance and work with agenciesunder the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to control the disease.
Laure Weber-Vintzel, OIE Deputy Sub-RegionalRepresentative, said the OIE has collected information and shared it among itsmembers to help them respond to African swine fever outbreaks. The OIE iswilling to provide Vietnam technical support to fight the disease, she said.
At least 13 provinces across the countryhave detected African swine fever infections, with the number of culled pigsamounting to 12,000.
The newspaper also reported that this month,a delegation of leading experts from across the world will visit Vietnam toassist its efforts to curb the disease.
The virus does not affect humans but doescause haemorrhagic fever in pigs and wild boars that is almost always fatal.There is no antidote or vaccine, and the only known preventative measure is amass cull of infected livestock. The disease spreads by contact betweeninfected pigs or other wild animals and can inflict massive economic damage onfarms.
According to the OIE, between 2017 andFebruary 18, 2019, 20 countries and regions have suffered from African swinefever, with more than 1.08 million pigs culled.-VNA
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