March 20, 2020

African swine fever outbreak reported in wild boar at Hubei, China

China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) discovered African swine fever (ASF) among seven dead wild boar at the Shennongjia Forestry District in Hubei Province, reported The Epoch Times.

MARA said the infection source is still unidentifiable, but suspect it is due to illegal movement of animals, swill feeding and possibly fomites.

The new ASF outbreak had led to fears of another mass culling of swine in China, which could affect the country's food security and push prices for the meat soaring once more.

The risk of a major ASF outbreak reoccurrence has come to light with more ASF outbreaks discovered in China's north and south borders by the World Organisation for Animal Health.

60% of China's first 21 ASF cases were linked to swine being fed swill, with the disease spreading between wild and domestic swine through the use of contaminated equipment and insects.

Since the first ASF case was discovered in China on August 2018, the country's total swine herd has dropped by more than 40%.

-      The Epoch Times