July 23, 2007

Vietnam on alert for rising numbers of swine disease outbreaks

The presence of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) in Vietnam's Quang Nam province has spread to the central province of Quang Ngai and the city of Da Nang, according to the Animal Health Department.

The disease has already killed seven pigs and sickened 60 animals in Nghia Trung Commune, Tu Nghia District, said Truong Quang Viet, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

What's more alarming is that farmers have quickly sold affected pigs at low prices, he said.

The department also said the disease has already killed six pigs and infected nearly 400 others in seven communities in Da Nang's districts of Hoa Vang and Cam Le.

Since it broke out in June, PRRS killed 24 more pigs and infected more than 750 others in Quang Nam Province, bringing mortality rates to 900 and the number of pigs infected to nearly 19,000.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Bui Ba Bong warned that the disease may strike other coastal provinces and the Central Highlands.

Experts said that the disease could not be transmitted to humans.

Meanwhile, local authorities in the northern province of Dien Bien stepped up their efforts to curb bird flu by slaughtering nearly 700 H5N1-virus-infected ducks in the districts of Thanh Yen, Noong Het and Sam Mun.

The northern province of Bac Giang was declared bird flu-free on Thursday (July 19), shortening the list of disease-stricken provinces to five. Authorities say Thai Binh, Ca Mau and Ninh Binh are expected to be removed from the bird flu list soon.