July 26, 2007

 

Vietnam tightens pig transport to prevent blue ear disease spread

 

 

The Vietnamese Animal Health Department has implemented stringent regulations to local veterinary officials in the transportation of pigs over the spread of the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) in the central provinces of Quang Nam and Quang Ngai as well as in Da Nang City.

 

PRRS has occurred in Vietnam's rural areas in late June and have affected 27,000 pigs in Quang Nam; 155 in Da Nang and 81 in Quang Ngai. Over 1,800 pigs have been died from the disease or were slaughtered.

 

The disease-- which causes high fever, respiratory problems and diarrhea in pigs -- has spread to 67 communities in the provinces. Experts say the virus is unlikely to be transmitted to humans.

 

Ho Chi Minh City's animal health sector is strictly monitoring the transport of pigs from other provinces, according to Phan Xuan Thao, deputy head of the city's Animal Health Department.

 

The city is also regularly disinfecting pig farms, slaughtering affected pigs and closely monitoring illegal hog slaughter and trade to prevent the disease from spreading further.

 

Animal health officials have also advised farmers not to overbreed and use safe pig breeds to ensure healthy herds.

 

The City's Animal Health Department reported that about 6,000-7,000 pigs were transported to the city every day, posing concerns about a disease outbreak in the city.

 

Most infected pigs smuggled into the city did no undergo veterinary quarantine.

 

The news of PRRS outbreak has pulled down prices of pork by VND4,000 (US$0.24) to VND23,000 (US$1.42) per kilogramme compared last week.

 

Nguyen Xuan Trang, head of the Management Board of Pham Van Hai wholesale market, said the number of pigs sold on the local market fell by 3 percent or 200 pigs a day on daily sales.