April 3, 2008

Vietnamese provinces urged to put up fences against blue ear disease
 

Provinces and cities neighbouring Ha Tinh province, where blue ear disease is on a rampage, should take urgent measures against the disease, according to Cao Duc Phat, Vietnamese minister of agriculture and rural development on Tuesday (April 1, 2008).

At least six provinces have been told to keep a watchful eye on local pig herd in order to discover any signs of the disease as soon as possible.

Ha Tinh has been asked to tighten control over the movement of pigs within the province, to disinfect diseased areas and to cull infected pigs so as to contain the disease.

The blue ear disease, or PRRS, is now spreading to ten communes of Cam Xuyen and Thach Ha districts and Ha Tinh city. About 3,040 pigs are affected, of which 545 have died.

It appears as though Vietnam would have to rely on stringent biosecurity measures to prevent further outbreaks, as deputy minister Bui Ba Bong had said the country do not have any vaccines or specific medicine against the disease.

Meanwhile, the ministry has proposed to the government to increase aid to farmers who had their pigs culled, with the aid compensating up to 70 percent of the culled animal's value.