June 21, 2007

China fights blue ear disease with vaccination campaign
 

China Wednesday (Jun 20) launched a nationwide vaccination campaign against blue ear disease, or Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), in a bid to control the devastating pig disease.

An infectious disease, PRRS has killed 18,000 domestic pigs from January to May, and claimed the lives of some 1 million pigs in 2006, according to official estimates.

The outbreak has contributed to the upsurge in domestic pork prices and threatens to drive up China's inflation rate further.

Vice-Minister of Agriculture Yi Chengjie said regions badly affected by the disease, especially along the Yangtze River, as well as sows and boars for breeding, would be given vaccination priority.

Yi added that the government would step up inspections for the disease and require all suspected cases to be immediately reported. He also advocated raising public awareness of disease prevention.