April 10, 2008

Vietnam declares recent blue ear outbreak as most massive

Vietnam is facing the biggest blue-ear disease outbreak with 70,000 pigs affected in only four central provinces, Bui Quang Anh, head of the Animal Health Department, said.

During a meeting on bird flu prevention yesterday in Hanoi, Vietnam officials said blue ear pig disease is now spreading in Thanh Hoa province.

Local animal health workers said the disease was found on May 38 but is now spreading to 181 communes of 12 districts.

In April 7, total number of affected pigs hit 57,730 from only 4,000 three days earlier.

In Ha Tinh province, the disease has spread to 45 communes of four districts and city, affecting 10,317 pigs.

In Nghe An, some 227 in four communes of Dien Chau and Yen Thanh were affected.

As of date, the total of pigs which died and were destroyed reaches nearly 55,000, the health department said.

Furthermore, the department warned of the spread of blue-ear disease, or the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) to northern provinces, urging localities to step up measures to prevent it.

The department also raised concern on the shortage of pork.

Pork accounts for 70 percent of the total meat supply in Vietnam market.