Photo for illustration. Animal Health officers take testing samples from ill pigs. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Bình

PHÚ YÊN — The central province of Phú Yên on Monday reported its first outbreak of African swine fever in Eabar Commune, Sông Hinh District, making it the 58th locality in Việt Nam affected by the virus.

This latest outbreak leaves only five provinces nationwide that have not been hit by the virus. They are Bến Tre, Lâm Đồng, Ninh Thuận, Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu and Tây Ninh.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, more than 2.6 million of pigs have been culled nationwide in an effort to stop the spread of the virus.

As of June 11, African swine fever had occurred in 55 of the country’s 63 cities and provinces, including all the major cities.

The total population of pigs in Việt Nam this month was down 5.5 per cent from the same period last year. Pork production in the first half of this year was about two million tonnes, 5 per cent lower than in the first half of last year.

As soon as African swine fever was reported in China on August 23 last year, Việt Nam took preventative measures along the border; however, the first outbreak was detected in the northern province of Hưng Yên in early February.

African swine fever does not spread to humans or poultry, but it can kill pigs quickly and there is no vaccine available.—VNS