July 22, 2010

Vietnam's Long An province has discovered an outbreak of blue-ear pig disease in Ward 5 of Tan An city, officially announced Wednesday (July 21).

Many pigs had already fallen ill, refused to eat and then died in almost one week. Their medical samples tested positive for the blue-ear virus.

At present, the provincial veterinary department has destroyed 200 dead or seriously ill pigs and another 40 infected pigs are being monitored and treated in isolation.

Financial assistance will be provided by the provincial government to households with infected pigs by paving them more than VND20,000 (US$1.05) per pig. It is also setting up check-points around Ward 5 to prevent livestock movement. The province is also decontaminating the infected areas, and encouraging citizens to join in the fight against the disease.