Quick spread of blue ear pig disease causes concern

Tuesday ,Apr 27,2010, Posted at: 16:16(GMT+7)

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus, also known as blue ear pig disease, is spreading through northern Vietnam at an alarming rate, sending the government scrambling to adopt counter-measures. Diseased pigs discovered in a slaughter Nine provinces and cities in the country have reported outbreaks of the disease, the Epidemic Prevention Steering Board reported at a meeting on the issue convened by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Some 10,000 pigs have died of blue ear disease in the northern provinces of Hai Duong, Thai Binh, Hung Yen, Nam Dinh, Hanoi and the central province of Quang Nam, according to local departments of animal health. Vu Thach Bon, Thach Loi Commune People’s Committee Chairman in Hai Duong, said security forces and veterinarians had refused to destroy dead pigs due to a lack of funds and farmers threw the swine into garbage dumps and rivers as a last resort. The dead pigs thrown into rivers and dams fueled the spread of the disease. Swine breeders in Hai Duong are in despair with 6,000 pigs infected after only three weeks. Thousands of swine are being infected with the disease daily and the quick spread has worried local authorities and caused concern among breeders. The government quickly ordered harsh penalties for provincial administrators that fail to follow regulations on controlling the disease. Task forces in Thach Loi commune in Hai Duong immediately collected dead pigs in the canals and fields. Hoang Van Nam from the Department of Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that provinces had been slow to announce outbreaks of the disease because they had to wait for tests to show up positive.