The Vietnam government has expressed concern that African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in the country could affect its food supplies and put pressure on inflation.
A government document dated July 14, viewed by Reuters, states: “The risk of wider spread of the disease is very high, and it can affect food supplies, consumer prices and the environment.”
The document said 660 ASF outbreaks has been confirmed across the country this year, compared with 208 outbreaks during the same period last year, with 42,400 infected pigs culled, nearly five times higher than last year.
Via the document, the government ordered provinces to deploy measures to curb the spread, including prioritising funds for vaccinating pigs against the disease, Reuters reported.
Vietnam approved the domestic commercial use of two home-grown ASF vaccines in July last year, the world’s first commercial vaccines for the disease.
Reuters also reports that an increase in pork prices due to African swine fever in some localities was among the causes for Vietnam’s higher consumer price index in June, according to the General Statistics Office. Foodstuff prices rose 3.23% in the month against the same period of 2023, official data showed.
Thailand reports first case this year
In a further sign of how ASF continues to cause problems in Asia, Thailand has reported its first ASF outbreak this year. The outbreak, confirmed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), occurred in domestic pigs in the Doi Saket District of Chiang Mai Province.
In its report, WOAH noted: “Food scraps fed to pigs might not be heated thoroughly due to the large container size, leaving some virus particles undestroyed despite boiling.
“Additionally, the farm’s proximity to a waste collection area and presence of stray dogs, coupled with a weak and inadequate fence, may allow stray dogs to introduce the virus into the farm.”
The virus is also spreading in the Philippines. The PhilStar reported that the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) is now implementing border controls to monitor the entry of pigs into the city following the reports of an outbreak in Barangay Bonbon, Cebu City.