July 18, 2025

 

ASF cases escalating anew in Vietnam 

 

 

African swine fever (ASF) is showing signs of resurgence in Vietnam, with widespread underreporting and concealment of outbreaks threatening disease control efforts, according to officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

 

Speaking at a meeting on ASF prevention held in Hà Nội on Tuesday (July 15), Phan Quang Minh, Deputy Director of the Department of Livestock Production and Veterinary Medicine, revealed that since the beginning of 2025, 514 outbreaks have been recorded in 27 provinces, affecting over 29,000 pigs. Of these, more than 30,000 pigs have died or been culled.

 

Currently, 248 outbreaks remain active across 20 provinces, with nearly 20,000 pigs infected.

 

Compared to the same period in 2024, the number of outbreaks has decreased by 41%, and the number of pigs culled has dropped by more than 60 %.

 

However, Minh warned the disease is re-emerging again, particularly in small-scale, low-biosecurity farms where old outbreaks are re-emerging.

 

"The risk of continued transmission remains very high," he said.

 

Authorities identified six key factors behind the ASF resurgence including widespread small-scale farming without adequate biosecurity, low vaccination uptake despite vaccine availability, concealment of outbreaks by farmers, illegal and unregulated slaughtering practices, weak enforcement of veterinary laws, and limited communication on disease control regulations.

 

Unofficial reports from local residents, media outlets, and inspection teams have confirmed that disease concealment is rampant in many areas. Infected pigs are often sold off or their remains discarded into the environment, increasing the risk of transmission.

 

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phùng Đức Tiến emphasised the serious threat ASF poses to the national livestock sector, which contributes 25%–26 % of Vietnam's total agricultural output.

 

"If we cannot control the disease, we will lose our growth momentum," he warned.

 

He recalled a major outbreak in 2020 that led to the culling of nearly 9 million pigs and drove the country's consumer price index up by 6.73 %, severely impacting both economic growth and investor confidence.

 

So far, the livestock sector has grown 5.4 % in the first six months, close to its annual target of 5.7%–5.9 %. Pork output has risen by 3.8 %, while poultry increased by 3.4 %. However, ASF and cross-border smuggling remain major threats.

 

To strengthen ASF prevention and control, officials proposed tightening penalties for hiding outbreaks and trading infected pigs, expanding vaccination coverage, improving biosecurity at farms, and enhancing the capacity of local veterinary authorities, especially at the commune level, where management areas have expanded significantly.

 

They also called for stricter disease surveillance, early detection and reporting, immediate culling of infected pigs, and stronger controls on the transportation, slaughter, and sale of pigs and pork products.

 

-      Viet Nam News