October 12, 2020

China discovers African swine fever in illegally transported piglets to Chongqing

China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said it had detected African swine fever (ASF) among piglets illegally shipped to Chongqing city, the first ASF outbreak since July 25, Reuters reported.

70 piglets were confiscated by the Chongqing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center. Two were dead and 14 were ill, according to a statement by the ministry.

The ministry said all the piglets were culled as part of disease management and emergency response, with affected places, roads and transport vehicles disinfected.

China is targeting a 95% pork self-sufficiency rate as it looks to recover domestic swine production badly affected by the ASF epidemic.

China and other Asian countries have banned German pork imports last month after ASF was discovered among wild boar in Brandenburg state, eastern Germany. Pork rib prices in China surged following the ban.

-      Reuters