Special Announcement: Third Case of ASF in China

From China’s current outbreak report to the OIE, dated August 19:

“After the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak, a supervision work group was promptly dispatched to the Jiangsu Province by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Strict blockade, disinfection, killing and disposal of the animals and relevant contaminated materials, and movement control measures were conducted in the farm. The local government launched the African swine fever contingency plan and emergency response according to the Standards & Protocols for ASF. All live pigs and animal products
were prohibited to enter and exit the area.”

Pigs in China are reared across a wide range of farms, including units that are similar to modern US production systems. However, much of the pork consumed is still from small household units that are fed the food scraps of a family or neighborhood. Likewise, the slaughter and sale of pigs is often through modern slaughter facilities and supermarkets, but much of the pork is sold without refrigeration, with local slaughter and sales from neighborhood vendors.

The swine industry has never seen an ASF outbreak in such a production landscape, and control measures are untested.

The Chinese industry has had difficulties in controlling FMD and CSF, and has relied heavily on the use of vaccines. As a vaccine is not available for ASF, the industry is thus reliant on heightened biosecurity, rapid diagnosis, complete isolation, and then elimination of infected pigs and contaminated materials.