The African swine fever epidemic in Quynh Luu is still negligent.

Pork without quarantine mark

At 8:30, we arrived at Giat market - Cau Giat town (Quynh Luu). At the meat trading area, there were 5 tables of pork for sale.

All pork sold in Giat market - Cau Giat town (Quynh Luu) does not have veterinary quarantine stamp. Photo: Xuan Hoang

In the role of a pork buyer, I tried to find a piece of pork with a veterinary quarantine stamp, for peace of mind. However, after going around all the meat tables, there was absolutely no piece of pork with a veterinary stamp.

Pork sellers said: Until now, there has never been a veterinary officer to stamp quarantine on pork, and now the African swine fever is spreading. Because there is no veterinary quarantine stamp, consumers rarely buy pork. Therefore, the amount of pork consumed now is only half of what it was before the African swine fever epidemic.

Therefore, pork traders want veterinary agencies to check both input and output of pork products, and daily stamp quarantine on pork products so that consumers can trust them. Otherwise, people will "turn their backs" on pork.

Pork sold in Giat market does not have a quarantine stamp, making consumers not believe that the pork is clean. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Talking to us, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong - a veterinary officer of Cau Giat town admitted that she has not yet organized quarantine stamps on pork products before selling them to the market, because there are no stamps. Moreover, there is no centralized slaughterhouse in the area, so it is very difficult to control slaughter.

The epicenter is negligent.

At 9:30, we arrived at the "epicenter" of African swine fever in hamlet 11, Quynh Hung commune. On the main roads leading to hamlet 11, the locality has set up quarantine checkpoints. At each quarantine checkpoint, there are barriers, tents for the guards, and disinfectant tarps...

On the roads of hamlet 11, many places have been sprinkled with lime powder; especially at the commune's flea market area, there is no pork for sale.

Quynh Hung commune's quarantine checkpoint was set up, but our vehicles entering and exiting on the morning of March 21 were not blocked to be sprayed with disinfectant chemicals. Only when we stopped to ask did someone come. Photo: Xuan Hoang

However, according to our observation, at the quarantine checkpoint, there was a man sitting in a tent but absolutely did not go out to the checkpoint to spray chemicals when cars entered and exited the epidemic area. The disinfection tarpaulin did not have additional straw and lime powder.

Mr. Pham Trung Thien - Chairman of Quynh Hung Commune People's Committee said: After the African swine fever epidemic broke out in the area, the commune set up 3 quarantine checkpoints in the epidemic area. Each checkpoint always has 2 people on duty 24/24 hours. All vehicles entering and leaving the epidemic area must be sprayed with disinfectant chemicals. However, when the reporter cited that the vehicles entering and leaving the epidemic area did not have the checkpoint force to spray chemicals? Mr. Thien justified: Because this morning the commune held a meeting to deploy solutions to prevent African swine fever, the checkpoint force was not guaranteed!

Disinfection tarpaulins placed right at the disinfection checkpoint of Quynh Hung commune (Quynh Luu) are not guaranteed. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Hoang Van Bo - Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Luu district said: The work of preventing African swine fever is facing difficulties because the district's budget is limited. However, the People's Committee of the district has developed scenarios for each level of the epidemic. The district also directed the communes with the epidemic to prioritize forces and budget for epidemic prevention.

However, in the process of implementation, many localities have not done it thoroughly; the assignment of staff to guard the checkpoints has not been ensured; the disinfection tarps have not been made up to standards, and lime powder has not been regularly replenished. Recently, the district has criticized some communes for not doing a good job of epidemic prevention.

Regarding the quarantine stamping on pork, Mr. Hoang Van Bo said that the district does not have a centralized slaughterhouse, so it is difficult to control slaughter.

It can be seen that the situation of "hot above, cold below" in the prevention of African swine fever like in Quynh Luu district in recent days is a potential high risk of widespread outbreak./.