Lam Dong scrambles to wipe out African swine fever
VOV.VN - Authorities in the Central Highland province of Lam Dong on July 27 culled a herd of pigs infected with African swine fever (ASF) in village 5 of Bao Lam 1 commune.
A pig farm in village 5 on July 24 informed local authorities that 31 out of 240 pigs had died, showing symptoms such as high fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, and difficulty breathing.
Authorities of Bao Lam 1 commune in collaboration with relevant agencies conducted inspections, collected samples for analysis, and reported the incident to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, as well as the provincial Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sub-Department, to coordinate disease prevention and response efforts.
The Central Veterinary Diagnosis and Testing Center II under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services confirmed that samples taken from the pig farm tested positive for the ASF virus.
Local authorities carried out wide-area vaccination of surrounding herds and organised disinfection and sterilisation efforts across the commune to effectively contain the outbreak.
Since the beginning of the year, African swine fever has been reported in 30 out of 34 provinces and cities, with more than 43,000 pigs culled. Although a vaccine is available, the vaccination rate is low, and many livestock households remain complacent, increasing the risk of the disease spreading during the stormy season.
According to the Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, the risk of new outbreaks and the continued spread of the disease in the coming period is very high. The main reason is that small-scale farming is still widespread and accounts for a large proportion, often lacking proper biosecurity measures.
In response, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has commissioned research institutes and businesses to urgently develop a new-generation vaccine to effectively prevent the currently rampant virus strain.







