Nghia Dan rehearses response plan for African swine fever

Currently, African swine fever has occurred in the provinces and districts bordering Nghia Dan, Quynh Luu, and Tan Ky. To respond to the epidemic, the District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station has coordinated to organize training for agricultural and veterinary staff at the grassroots level on disease prevention and control and build a hypothetical situation of the epidemic occurring in small-scale livestock households and large farms.

Many local veterinarians participated in the drill to deploy measures to prevent African swine fever. Photo: Minh Thai

Along with promoting propaganda and distributing 500 liters of chemicals to localities to simultaneously spray disinfectants at livestock households and markets in the area, Nghia Dan district has set up checkpoints in communes bordering epidemic areas; coordinated with the provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine to train and practice implementing measures to prevent and control African swine fever for relevant departments, agricultural officers, and grassroots veterinary departments.

During the training and scenario rehearsal, the local veterinary staff had practical experience in understanding symptoms, performing autopsies, taking specimens, and presenting two scenarios when the disease has not yet spread and how to handle it when it is detected locally.

Officers from the provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine instruct people to wear disposable clothes and destroy them after use. Photo: Minh Thai

Mr. Cao Duc Duong - Head of the Epidemic Department - Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine of Nghe An province said: "Up to now, Nghia Dan has not had any epidemics, but it is a locality with a very high risk of occurrence. Therefore, we have coordinated with the district to train the plan when there is an epidemic so that localities can proactively handle it promptly."

Taking samples for testing while the pig is still alive. Photo: Minh Thai

In Nghia Khanh commune, a unit bordering Nghia Dong commune, Tan Ky district where the epidemic occurred, the commune has deployed plans to prevent and suppress the epidemic when it occurs in the area.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Lieu - Head of the Veterinary Department of Nghia Khanh Commune said: "After receiving an urgent dispatch from the superiors, we have completed the Steering Committee, assigned tasks to each member, and set up checkpoints. At the same time, we have propagated to people, livestock farmers, and traders to implement plans to prevent the epidemic."

Visiting a pig slaughterhouse to collect samples after the pig has died. Photo: Minh Thai

The district has not yet detected any outbreaks, but the risk of infection is very high. Therefore, the Station has advised the District People's Committee to direct localities to step up propaganda and disinfection to prevent epidemics. Organize training for grassroots officials to grasp the plan when an epidemic occurs in the area and advise people not to turn their backs on clean pork.

Mr. Cao Minh Duc - Head of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station of Nghia Dan district

Burying sick pigs follows the process of covering them with tarpaulin, spreading lime, and spraying pesticides. Photo: Minh Thai