Thailand culls 200 pigs in ‘preventative action’

Two hundred pigs have been culled in Thailand after two pigs died mysteriously near the border with Myanmar, which has reported past outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF).

Map Of Thailand,vietnam And Laos. Close-up Image
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Authorities have not confirmed any reports of African swine fever in the country.

Two hundred pigs have been culled in Thailand after two pigs died mysteriously near the border with Myanmar, which has reported past outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF).

Thailand has not reported any outbreaks of the deadly pig disease, but carried out the culling as a “preventative action,” authorities said.

Nopporn Mahakanta, chief of the provincial livestock office, told Reuters that the pigs that were culled were within a one-kilometer radius of the pigs that had fallen ill and died.

Previous ASF reports in bordering countries

Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia – all which border Thailand – have reported numerous outbreaks of ASF, and Thailand has been on high alert and has banned imports of pork products from Laos and Myanmar. Deputy Agriculture Minister Prapat Pothasuthon said road checkpoints have been established to block the transport of pigs out of designated risk areas, mostly along the border with Myanmar.

In August, Myanmar’s Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries confirmed to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) that the ASF virus had been detected for the first time in Shan, a state in the north of the country, which borders China, Laos and Thailand.

Since Laos first reported outbreak of ASF at the end of June, reports indicate that the virus has affected domestic pigs in 13 provinces across the country, as well as the capital city, Vientiane. As of September 3, the number of confirmed ASF outbreaks in Laos had reached 94, affecting almost 25,800 pigs. According to the agriculture ministry reports received by the OIE, 76 outbreaks of the disease affecting more than 19,800 pigs were confirmed between June 28 and August 13. Nearly all the outbreaks were in groups of pigs described as “village” herds ranging in size from five to almost 1,000 animals, and the disease has also affected one zoo.

After six confirmed outbreaks in June and July, no new cases of ASF have been detected in Cambodia since early July, according to the latest report from the country’s animal health agency to the OIE.

View our continuing coverage of the African swine fever outbreak.

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