HCM CITY– Three inspection teams set up by the Regional Animal Health Office No. 6 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Department of Animal Health are conducting surveillance of pigs transported from northern provinces and cities to the southern region to prevent the spread of African swine fever.

The HCM City People’s Committee plans to ask the ministry for permission to ban the transport of pigs from the northern to southern region.

The committee asked provincial and city authorities to strengthen quarantine of pigs before transporting them to other localities.

Through inspections at the provinces of Ninh Thuận and Đồng Nai, the number of pigs from northern provinces and cities transported to the city fell by 40 per cent compared to previous days.

As of March 6, nine provinces reported disease among pigs, including Hưng Yên, Thái Bình, Hà Nội, Hải Phòng, Hà Nam, Hải Dương, Thanh Hóa, Điện Biên and Hòa Bình.

A report from the HCM City Health Animal and Husbandry Division shows that about 2,500 pigs were being transported each day from the northern region to the provinces of Sóc Trăng, Vĩnh Long, Long An and others.

Lê Hoàng Phong, head of the trading division at Hóc Môn Wholesale Market, told Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn) newspaper that the number of pigs transported to the market had fallen by 450 compared to last month.

The number of pigs transported to Bình Điền Wholesale Market has not dropped.

At wholesale markets, sold pigs are monitored and their origin traced.

Phạm Khánh Phong Lan, head of the HCM City Food Safety Management Board, said that pigs without origin would be culled on the spot.

Lan said the board had been working with the division to control and check pig farms, markets and quarantine stations. 

The division has conducted rapid tests on pigs that may be infected with the disease. The results are available after four hours.

All vehicles transporting pigs from neighbouring provinces to the city have been disinfected.

As of now, slaughterhouses in the city have not received pigs from northern provinces and cities.

Pigs in the city have been transported from the provinces of Tiền Giang, Vĩnh Long, and Sóc Trăng.

On March 6, Huỳnh Tấn Phát, deputy head of the HCM City Health Animal and Husbandry Division, said the city had not found pigs infected with the disease.

The division warned breeders to report any infected pig and to not sell, slaughter, transport or throw out infected pigs.

The Mekong Delta province of Tiền Giang has set up two stations for temporary quarantine at Mỹ Lợi Bridge in Gò Công commune and Tân Cửu Nghĩa commune in Châu Thành District.

Similar stations have also been set up in Long An Province.

Đồng Nai Province has set up two stations, including one on Highway No.20’s section connected with Lâm Đồng Province and the rest on Highway No. 1 linking Bình Thuận Province for surveillance of animals from the northern and Central Highlands regions.–VNS