April 21, 2008

Vietnam reports eighth province with blue ear disease

Blue ear pig disease has recently spread to Thai Nguyen, the eight province affected by the outbreak in Vietnam, the Animal Health Department said Saturday. 

The department also informed that any province wherein no new cases have been recorded in 21 days is considered no longer affected.

The disease has most recently hit two farrows of pigs in Phu Binh District's Tan Duc and Phu Luong communes in Thai Nguyen.

On Friday, the epidemic hit 8,820 pigs in 35 communes through out Vietnam, the department disclosed.

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome or blue ear disease leads to pigs' ears turning blue, appetite loss, high fever, miscarriage, premature delivery, coughing, respiratory problems, and death in extreme cases.