30 August 2018, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Office released a statement confirming an African swine fever epidemic has broken out at farms in Anhui.
The Nanling County farm in Wuhu City was originally home to 459 healthy pigs; 185 became infected and 80 soon after died soon after of apparently unknown causes.
Animal husbandry and veterinary departments then conducted an investigation, after which The Center for Animal Health and Epidemiology (National Center for Animal Diseases Research) diagnosed an African swine fever epidemic in the area.
After the outbreak, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Office immediately dispatched a group of professionals to Anhui Province in order to control the situation. Local authorities have started emergency response mechanisms according to the requirements, and have adopted measures such as blockade, culling, harmless treatment, disinfection, etc., and have in total exterminated the 379 remaining sick pigs.
All sick and culled pigs have been treated humanely. All live pigs and susceptible animals and products are prohibited from entering or leaving the area. At present, the epidemic has been effectively controlled.
