Global Disease Monitoring Reports

October 1, 2019

The first African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks were reported in the Philippines and South Korea in September. More than 67,000 pigs had been culled as of September 29 in South Korea. Timor-Leste became the 10th Asian country reporting ASF. The island of Timor-Leste is located 450 miles north of Darwin, Australia. In Thailand, the industry is on high alert for ASF. To date, ASF has not been reported there though thousands of pigs have been culled as precautionary measures and 24 provinces have been declared to be “surveillance areas” with movement restrictions. Additionally, the Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report includes information on Classic swine fever in Japan where they will start vaccinating commercial pigs against the CSF virus in an attempt to help control its continued spread. Further details are included in the full report.

September 2, 2019

Chinese social media indicates there is African swine fever (ASF) vaccine availability, however, authorities deny it and warned farmers regarding the hoax. A jump in swine mortality in the Philippines’ not yet attributed to a cause; concerns of ASF or some other emerging disease arriving in the country are raised. The first ASF outbreak has been reported in Serbia with low mortality rates raising questions about an evolving clinical presentation. In Japan, classical swine fever (CSF) continues to raise concern. Vaccination against CSF in domestic pigs is being considered by the Japanese veterinary authority after outbreaks in two new prefectures.

August 6, 2019

Bulgaria has declared an African swine fever (ASF) state of emergency saying 130,000 pigs were culled in two weeks due to detection of the disease on six industrial farms in the country. The first two ASF outbreaks were reported in Slovakia. On July 25, Slovakian authorities reported the first case of ASF in the village of Strážne, Trebišov district. A week later, a second case was confirmed in the village of Veľký Kamenec. And ASF was detected in northern Ireland where 300 kg of illegally imported meat was seized by port authorities after testing positive for ASF DNA fragments.

July 2, 2019

The first cases of African swine fever (ASF) were reported in Laos on June 20. Laotian authorities said there were seven outbreaks of ASF in the southern province of Saravane. The July Swine Health Information Center Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report contains details. The report also covers the largest outbreak of ASF in Vietnam since the start of the epidemic. On June 25, authorities of Dong Nai province released a statement reporting it was discovered on a farm with 18,000 pigs. Also in the July report, the USDA Feral Swine Eradication and Control (FSCP) Pilot Program is discussed. The USDA is offering $75 million in funding for the eradication and control of feral swine through the program in a joint effort between USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

June 10, 2019

In the June Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report, the first African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in Hong Kong is discussed. The first two outbreaks were detected at slaughterhouses in animals imported from mainland China and led to the culling of more than 10,500 pigs. The first ASF outbreak in North Korea was reported in May as well. Authorities said the outbreak occurred at a cooperative farm in Usi county, in the westernmost Changang Province, less than 10 miles from the border with the Chinese province of Liaoning. During the 87th general session World Assembly OIE, a global approach to ASF control was presented. It will be based on an internationally agreed framework intended to harmonize regional and national strategies. This SHIC report also includes information the USDA’s ASF surveillance program, noting USDA will start testing for ASF samples currently included in the classical swine fever (CSF) surveillance program. Finally, in India, an outbreak of nipah virus has been reported.

May 7, 2019

In the Swine Health Information Center’s May Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report, the first African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in Cambodia is detailed as well as the continuing expansion in China where all geographical regions have now been impacted by the disease. Notes on USDA’s action to license an ASF vaccine are included in the Report as well as a summary of an Aujeszky’s disease outbreak in France. Classical swine fever presence and spread in Brazil and Japan are also discussed.

April 1, 2019

In the April 2019 SHIC Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report, world maps are links to country-specific information on swine disease outbreaks are included for the first time. This OIE data provides a valuable overview of country-specific disease status and movement. In addition, the Report provides details on further African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in Vietnam as well as disease status in China, Europe, and Moldova. A fresh risk analysis of the potential for ASF to be introduced in the US through pork smuggled in air passengers’ luggage is included as are details on USDA seizure of 1 million pounds of contraband Chinese pork in New Jersey. Finally, the report includes information on foot-and-mouth disease in North and South Korea.

March 4, 2019

In the March Swine Health Information Center Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report, details on the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in Vietnam as of February 28 are included as well as information on the further spread of the disease in three Chinese provinces. Information on Australia’s detection of both ASF and foot-and-mouth disease in seized pork products at airports is included. The report also contains information on classical swine fever in Japan.

February 19, 2019

Although it has not been officially reported to the OIE, the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Animal Health Department released a communication confirming that ASF has been detected in two provinces in northern Vietnam, Hung Yen and Thai Binh, southeast of the capital city of Hanoi and at approximately 100 miles (160 km) from the Chinese border. Eight outbreaks have been reported, and all pigs in the affected farms have been culled. Neighboring farms are being tested as well. Local authorities initiated general measures to contain the outbreaks and disinfect the area through quarantine and restrictions of animal movements, but, so far, the total number of cases is still uncertain.

February 4, 2019

In the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) February Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report, the first porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PED) outbreak in Alberta, Canada, is reported. This report also includes information on the UK African swine fever (ASF) risk assessment process; the review team offers an explanation of the different risk levels in the program. In addition, an ASF outbreak in a second Asian country, Mongolia, was found in the north-central region. The first foot-and-mouth (FMD) outbreaks reported in South Korea and Morocco since March 2018 and November 2015, respectively, are noted. Details of an FMD outbreak in South Africa’s FMD-free zone are also included.

January 16, 2019

In the January 2019 Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report from the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), we learn African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread in China, including the first outbreaks in Gansu and Ningxia provinces. Additionally, there have been multiple detections of ASF in pork products smuggled into Australia. And there has been a foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in South Africa’s FMD-free zone. Details on these topics and other news are included in the full report.

January 7, 2019

In the Swine Health Information Center’s January Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report, it is stated Heilongjiang province reported the largest infected farm since the start of the African swine fever (ASF) epidemic in China last August. A carcass positive for ASF was found on Taiwan’s shore. An ASF outbreak outside the control zone in Belgium was reported, close to the border of France.  Additionally, the largest outbreak of CSF in a Japanese farm since its recurrence in last September was reported. The report also includes information on actions by Chinese and Taiwanese governments related to the disease epidemics.

December 19, 2018

In August 2015, a new, national outbreak of Seneca Valley A (SVA) began in the US, just one month after the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) started operations. Looking back, we discovered Brazil had gone through an SVA outbreak during the late fall and winter of 2014-15 in the US, during their summer season, preceding the US occurrence. Thank you to Dr. Daniel Linhares of Iowa State University for notifying SHIC of this new SVA outbreak in Brazil and to Dr. Gustavo Simao, Agroceres PIC in Brazil, for offering this on-the-ground update of the current situation.

December 17, 2018

In the December mid-month Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report from the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), a collection of observations and lessons learned from African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in China and Europe are shared. In addition, recommendations for US producers to follow to continue to prevent the entry of the virus in this country are detailed. ASF continues to spread in China with Qinghai province reporting their first cases of the virus. It appears the spread in Romania and Poland has slowed. Earlier this month, both China’s General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs as well as the Global ASF Research Alliance released analyses and reports on the issues surrounding the spread of the virus. The mid-month report includes a summary of each.

December 3, 2018

Per the Swine Health Information Center December global disease monitoring report, November was another challenging month for the Chinese authorities and swine industry, as there was a significant expansion of the African swine fever (ASF) epidemic, continuing its southward spread into six new provinces. On November 30, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published three reports updating the ASF epidemiological situation in their region. In these reports, experts have assessed the effectiveness of wild boar control measures in the region including intensive hunting around the buffer area, quick and safe carcass removal, and fencing. Also, in mid-November, Japan reported the second outbreak of classical swine fever (CSF) on a farm in Gifu prefecture since last September, when the first case of the disease since its eradication (2007) was reported by the country. Several cases in wild boar were reported as follow ups in these last three months.

November 20, 2018

Despite banning interprovincial imports of live hogs and hog products earlier this month, African swine fever has been found in Sichuan province in China, one of that nation’s top pork producing regions. In the mid-November Global Disease Monitoring Report from the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), it is reported ASF was identified in Yibin City. In addition to Sichuan province, ASF was also identified for the first time in Jiangxi, Fujian, and Hubei provinces since our last report. And the first case of ASF in a wild boar in China was identified in Jilin province in northeastern area of China which significantly increases concerns about control strategies’ effectiveness. The SHIC Global Swine Disease Report also contains information on a report of ASF feed contamination coming from China this month.

November 5, 2018

The most significant event this month was the identification of African swine fever positive farms in southern China. The report of infected farms in Yunnan Province suggests a substantial spread of the disease within China, and an increased risk for neighboring countries, particularly Vietnam, Myanmar, and Laos, which share a porous border with this province. In Colombia, outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease were reported after being declared free with vaccination in 2017. Initially it was observed in cattle, however later on other outbreaks were reported in the northern area of the country in cattle, swine farms, and backyard pigs. The region has good vaccination coverage for cattle, however not for pigs, making the mitigation process challenging. Also in early October, Brazil reported an outbreak of classical swine fever outside the Free-Zone, in the state of Ceará (northeastern area of the country), identified through passive surveillance. Later on, an active surveillance plan identified other outbreaks in the surrounding districts. The current epidemiological investigation is focused in eliminating infection from the region, aiming to control the spread of the disease.

October 16, 2018

Lately there have been no new reports of outbreaks of ASF in new countries, however, Romania, Moldova, Belgium, and China are still being challenged to contain the epidemic. In Europe, wild boars have a main role in the spread of the disease throughout territories, however, in China it was not yet reported in wild animals – only in backyard and farm animals.

October 1, 2018

Emerging diseases continue to be monitored. The European Union (EU) pig industry discussed measures to contain current African swine fever (ASF) cases in Belgium and eastern Europe. Countries such as South Korea, China, Taiwan, Belarus, Mexico, the Philippines, Japan, South Africa, Serbia, Singapore, Uruguay, Australia, and Malaysia have restricted pork imports from infected regions, whereas Ukraine, China, South Korea, Belarus, and Serbia have temporarily banned the purchase of swine feed from Belgium. Some EU countries, such as France, The Netherlands, and Ireland, are pushing for stricter measures to prevent ASF spread into new countries.

September 17, 2018

On September 14th, the OIE official report of the 1st ASF case in Belgium was released, confirming our previous report. On Saturday, 15th, the Federal Agriculture minister confirmed three new cases in the same area of the initial report, identified in wild boars found dead in the city of Etalle (Luxembourg province), near the border with France.

September 13, 2018

ASF has been confirmed in two wild boars near the southern village of Étalle, in the province of Luxembourg, which is located 8 miles (12 km) from the border with France and 11 miles (17 km) from Luxembourg. It appears to have jumped a considerable distance from previously affected countries, about 300 miles (500 km) from the border with the Czech Republic, 500 miles from Hungary, and 750 miles (1,200 km) from the border with Romania (approximate distances). The Belgian authorities report they are working to prevent the possible spread of the disease among wild boar and onto pig farms.

September 9, 2018

On Sunday September 9th, Japan reported the occurrence of Classical Swine fever, in a farm located at Gifu Prefecture, in the central area of the country. Last week, one pig died suddenly, followed by the mortality of 80 others. On Sunday, officials declared the animals as tested positive for Classical Swine fever (CSF), also known as Hog Cholera. Currently, China is facing an epidemic of African Swine Fever, which is totally unrelated to this event in Japan. To date, Japanese Veterinary Services have ruled out the occurrence of African Swine Fever (ASF) in this outbreak or in the country.

September 3, 2018

August was a challenging month to the swine industry, as we saw a growing number of new outbreaks of African swine fever, including its expansion to Asia with China reporting its first case. Also, the continued westward spread was observed with Bulgaria reporting its first case, while Romania is struggling to control the epidemic. Only China and Romania together have officially reported culling 180,000 pigs during this month. Of particular significance, South Korea first identified the virus being transported out of China in pork products. Though the virus was probably dead due to cooking, it increases attention on the likelihood of such transport on airlines is only expanding as the outbreak widens. The current situation creates an alert to the international trade of pork, and many countries are revising their commercial agreements with affected countries.

Disclaimer: It is expected that this trend of ASF outbreaks will continue, thus we will no longer release announcements of individual outbreaks. Updates will be released if something pertinent to the US pork producers occurs. Compiled summaries will be released every other week.

August 30, 2018

African swine fever has been found again in China, this time in Nanling county, part of the city of Wuhu in China’s Anhui province. Located directly west of Shanghai, it is the fifth province reported to be affected by the disease in the last month. One farm with 459 pigs was found to be infected, with 80 killed by the virus and the other 379 destroyed. Further control measures are being put in place in the surrounding area. To date, around 24,000 pigs have already been culled in China since the beginning of the epidemic. Except for the first outbreak, the following four occurred in a radius of 347 miles, all located in the northeast region of the country.

August 23, 2018

African swine fever (ASF) has moved south again in China. This time it has been found in Yueqing City, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, 500 miles further along the Pacific seaboard from the last reported case in Lianyungang, Jiangsu. Three farms in a breeding community had 430 pigs affected with 340 of those dying of the disease. Standard procedures of establishing perimeters, culling, and restricting movement have been put in place.

August 20, 2018

A third case of ASF has been reported in a farm in the in Haizhou District, part of the city of Lianyungang, in the Jiangsu Province (map). This area is approximately 350 miles east of the 2nd case, reported last Thursday at a slaughter plant in the city of Zhengzhou, Henan province.

August 16, 2018

There is now a second case of African swine fever (ASF) in China. It was found in a slaughterhouse where 30 pigs died of ASF. The slaughterhouse is located in the city of Zhengzhou in the Henan province. The pigs came from Tangyuan district of the city of Jiamusi, in the Heilongjiang province, over 500 miles to northeast of the first reported herd, which was detected approximately two weeks ago.

August 8, 2018

Last Friday the first case of African Swine Fever (ASF) was reported in China (LINK). First identified on August 1st, the outbreak was located in the northeast, in the city Shenyang, district of Shenbei New, in the province Liaoning, swine dense area 130 miles (208km) of the North Korean border. Infection on a small farm with a herd of 383 pigs, where 47 pigs died from the disease, was confirmed by China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center.

June 25, 2018

Eastern Europe continues to see the further establishment of African Swine Fever. Border areas are a particular concern. Romani has seen a new occurrence in backyard swine that is across the country from previous outbreaks, but adjacent to Ukraine, a country that has had difficulty controlling the disease. Many countries are considering the construction of fences, with Denmark recently approving a 44-mile fence along its border with Germany.

April 23, 2018

The global swine disease surveillance system is initially being tested for the three tier-1 foreign swine diseases (ASF, CSF, FMD) with the expectation of expanding it to other relevant diseases of swine in the future.

Effective this month, searches for porcine rotavirus, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and Aujeszky’s disease/pseudorabies (suid herpesvirus 1 (SuHV1)) began. However, no relevant news item was identified for any of those diseases and we are still in the process of optimizing the searched for those pathogens.

April saw the addition of Hungary as the seventh country in the EU now with African Swine Fever. It was found in a wild boar that was a considerable distance from known infected populations. Local authorities report that the disease was probably introduced through infected food waste. Pig prices have plunged as external markets; Serbia, Japan and South Korea have stopped importations of pigs and pork products.

March 28, 2018

• Classical Swine Fever (CSF)
• African Swine Fever (ASF)
• Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

This past month saw some more activity of FMD in China and Korea. In both countries, there is extensive vaccination for the disease, but the efficacy of the vaccine and the compliance to the vaccination regime can vary widely. The Korean outbreak was the first farm affected in Korea since Feb, 2017. Though China reports sporadic cases, a case where a herd 1200 sheep affected in the Henan province of China raises additional concerns. Henan is a swine dense province, and this level of disease may have negative effects on the large producers in the area.

January 14, 2018

• Classical Swine Fever (CSF)
• African Swine Fever (ASF)
• Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

The current concern continues to focus on African swine fever in Poland and surrounding countries. Infected wild boars continue to be identified in the vicinity surrounding Warsaw, and the possibility of spread of the disease to the pig intensive area of eastern Poland continues to be a concern. Countries in the region are using a combination of increased hunting of wild boar along with boar proof fencing along borders to attempt to control the spread of the disease.

December 17, 2017

• Classical Swine Fever (CSF)
• African Swine Fever (ASF)
• Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

African Swine Fever continues to be a major concern in Eastern Europe and Russia. Forty new cases have been found in wild boar around Warsaw, Poland, the furthest west that this disease has been seen in Poland. This has heightened concern of onward transmission to large commercial farms in western Poland and even East Germany.

November 19, 2017

• Classical Swine Fever (CSF)
• African Swine Fever (ASF)
• Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)