Nghe An highlands control African swine fever

Basically control the epidemic

In September and October 2024, after the flood, African swine fever broke out strongly again in the province. However, since mid-November until now, the epidemic situation in the highland districts has shown signs of cooling down.

Tan Ky district is a locality with a large pig herd of about 65,000 pigs, mainly raised by households and has 7 farms. African swine fever in the area is divided into 2 stages, from January to June 2024, occurring in 7 households, in 4 communes with a total of 140 pigs destroyed; from September and October 2024, the epidemic continued to occur in 47 households, in 7 communes, with a total of over 400 pigs destroyed, weighing over 24 tons.

Faced with such complicated developments, Tan Ky district has implemented synchronous solutions to promptly contain and contain the epidemic. The district has issued Decision No. 3844 on the establishment of 3 inspection teams to direct the work of preventing and controlling animal diseases in the district, focusing on containing and preventing the spread of African swine fever.

The task of the delegations is to inspect the epidemic prevention work at the grassroots level, correct shortcomings and problems, and update and report the situation to the district leaders for timely solutions. In addition, Tan Ky district has also issued 45 directives on the prevention of African swine fever for communes to implement.

In Ky Tan commune, according to the reporter's records, after the outbreak, the commune established epidemic control checkpoints, organized disinfection spraying of barns and destroyed infected pigs according to procedures. Therefore, from November 9 to now, there have been no more unusual pig deaths in the locality.

Mr. Tran Hong Phuong, a veterinary officer in Ky Tan commune, Tan Ky district, said: The whole commune currently has 1,200 pigs raised by households. As soon as the epidemic broke out in Thanh Tan hamlet in early November, the locality immediately cordoned off the area and strictly applied preventive measures. Households were also aware of reporting to the authorities and implementing disinfection and sterilization measures. Thanks to that, after 2 weeks, the epidemic only occurred in 3 households in Thanh Tan hamlet, with no signs of the disease spreading to other hamlets. The risk zone has also been narrowed.

Tan Ky district has also provided 900 liters of chemicals, distributed to 22 communes and towns to proactively prevent the epidemic, in which priority is given to localities where the epidemic has occurred, namely Dong Van, Tien Ky, Tan An and neighboring communes. Thanks to the application of synchronous and drastic measures, the epidemic has now been basically controlled in the area.

Anh Son district is the locality with the most complicated epidemic in Nghe An province, especially in September - October 2024. According to statistics, from the beginning of 2024 until now, the whole district has 13 communes with African swine fever with 710 households. The total number of pigs destroyed is 3,588 with a total weight of more than 200 tons. This is a significant loss for people as well as the livestock industry in the area.

Faced with the complicated developments of the epidemic, Anh Son district has applied the highest level of prevention measures. The locality has issued 34 leadership and direction documents related to the prevention and control of African swine fever; and has completed the Steering Committee for African swine fever prevention and control at the district level.

Along with that, direct the review and statistics of the total pig herd in each village, hamlet, and residential group to propose plans and scenarios for prevention to ensure that there is no passivity. The district synchronously deploys epidemic prevention measures such as: disease surveillance, propaganda, disinfection, control of transportation and trade of pigs and pig products; instructs the destruction of all sick and dead pigs that test positive for African swine fever according to proper techniques, preventing the spread of the epidemic.

In particular, the district has set up 43 checkpoints to control the circulation of animals and animal products in and out of epidemic areas day and night. Working groups stay close to the area, update information, and monitor the epidemic developments daily to have timely solutions.

Thanks to synchronous and drastic solutions, from mid-November until now, the whole district has only 1 commune with dead pigs that need to be destroyed, which is Vinh Son commune; 3 communes have been declared free of the epidemic, including Binh Son, Hoi Son and Linh Son. In addition, the remaining 9 communes have no more dead pigs that need to be destroyed but have not passed 21 days and cannot be declared free of the epidemic, including: Phuc Son, Khai Son, Cao Son, Tao Son, Cam Son and Duc Son, Long Son, Thach Son and Lang Son. This is a very remarkable result in one of the localities with the most complicated epidemic in the province.

Not only in Tan Ky and Anh Son districts, but in fact, since mid-November until now, African swine fever in the province has shown signs of cooling down. Districts such as Que Phong, Quy Hop, and Tuong Duong each have only 4 outbreaks that have not passed 21 days. Con Cuong has 2 outbreaks; Ky Son has 1 outbreak; districts such as Nghia Dan and Quy Chau have been free of African swine fever.

Don't be subjective or negligent.

African swine fever has broken out strongly in Nghe An since the beginning of 2024, especially during the peak period after the floods in late September 2024. According to statistics from the provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, since the beginning of the year, the whole province has had more than 250 outbreaks of African swine fever, forcing the destruction of more than 10,000 pigs. The epidemic mainly occurs in mountainous districts with inadequate livestock farming practices that do not ensure disease safety.

Although the epidemic has been basically controlled since mid-November, according to the recommendations of the provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, localities, departments and branches are not allowed to be subjective about the epidemic, because the risk of re-outbreak still exists.

Mr. Tran Vo Ba - Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine said: Currently, the erratic weather, humid air creates favorable conditions for pathogens to develop and spread, the price of live pigs is high, especially the demand for pork during Tet is very high, so small-scale farmers tend to re-herd. In addition, the management of slaughter, purchase, sale, collection of pigs and pork products still has many shortcomings, difficult to manage, so the risk of African swine fever re-emerging and lasting in the coming time is very high. Therefore, localities are not allowed to be subjective, neglect the disease, maintain preventive measures at the highest level.

“On November 15, 2024, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Directive No. 45 on focusing on drastic and synchronous implementation of solutions to prevent and control African swine fever. Accordingly, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities, towns, directors of departments, heads of provincial-level sectors and branches, and relevant units to direct localities to proactively monitor the epidemic situation closely; detect early, warn and direct thorough handling of outbreaks, not allowing new outbreaks to arise; handle and destroy sick pigs, suspected sick pigs, and dead pigs in accordance with regulations and instructions on prevention and control of African swine fever; promptly detect, prevent and resolutely handle cases of buying, selling, transporting sick pigs, and dumping dead pigs that spread the disease and pollute the environment...