VietNamNet Bridge – Quang Ninh Province is taking steps to combat the spread of African swine fever.

A vehicle carrying pigs has disinfectant sprayed on it in Tan Dan Commune’s checkpoint. — VNS Photo baoquangninh.com.vn

The northern coastal province has established five quarantine checkpoints operating 24/7 at provincial gateways adjacent to neighbouring localities to tighten control of pig and poultry imports.

As of Sunday, the disease had been reported in seven provinces and cities across the country, with at least 4,200 pigs culled.

Operating from March 3, the checkpoints were set up in Da Bac Bridge (Uong Bi City) and the tollgate of Bach Dang Bridge (Quang Yen Town) which are adjacent to Hai Phong City; Vang Bridge and Da Vach Bridge (Dong Trieu Town) adjacent to Hai Duong; and Tan Dan Commune (Hoanh Bo District) on Highway 279, heading to Bac Giang Province.

At the checkpoints, all vehicles carrying pigs will be inspected for documentation and could have disinfectant sprayed on them.

On Monday, at the Bach Dang Bridge checkpoint, authorities found six out of nine pig-carrying vehicles entering the province without correct documentation, and were turned around.

With a diverse transport system including the recently-built Ha Long - Hai Phong Expressway, National Road 18, Highway 279 and a border with China, the northern province is key to the pork trade in Vietnam.

Head of Quang Ninh Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, Tran Xuan Dong, said trading of food products, especially pork, in the locality was a large industry, making the disease’s spread easy.

According to statistics, Quang Ninh has 340 pig farms with a total of 43,000 pigs, six concentrated cattle and poultry slaughtering houses and 865 other slaughtering houses.

Of the seven provinces and cities to have reported the disease, Hai Phong and Hai Duong provinces both border Quang Ninh.

Quang Ninh also has a border stretching over 118km with China, where African swine fever has also been reported.

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), African swine fever is a fatal infectious disease caused by a virus which spreads rapidly among pigs. 

Source: VNS