Livestock officials in Thailand’s northern province of Chiang Rai have banned the movement of live pigs in and out of the province for six months after several pigs were found to be infected with African Swine Fever (ASF).
Hundreds of pigs in Mae Sai, Mae Chan and some other districts in the province have been culled and the carcasses destroyed.
Officials manning 12 road checkpoints in the province have been instructed to be more vigilant in their searches of vehicles.
Livestock Development Department chief Soravit Thaneeto said that officials and pig farmers in every province have been told to increase preventive measures against the spread of the disease.
He said that destroying symptomless pigs, which are in the vicinity of infected animals, is an effective means through which to prevent the spread of the disease.
The spread of ASF continues, with predictions that the disease will wipe out 20% of the world’s meat protein source by year’s end.
ASF is present throughout Asia, with South Korea the latest country to report an outbreak. The disease has spread across Southeast Asia, through parts of Europe and Africa.
