African Swine Fever Found on Pig Farms in South Korea, Germany
A case of African swine fever (ASF) was detected on a farm containing around 1,500 animals in South Korea's northeastern county of Hongcheon, Reuters reports.
All the pigs on the farm were killed in order to contain the spread of the pathogen, the article said, and an investigation is being launched into other pig farms in the region, the South Korea agriculture ministry said.
Authorities issued a standstill order on all pig farms and other livestock related facilities until Monday.
The latest outbreak marks the first time in over seven months for the fever to be detected on a pig farm in the country.
Meanwhile, a case of ASF was detected on a farm containing around 35 animals in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, the German food and agriculture ministry said on Thursday.
All the animals on the farm were killed and disposed of in order to contain the spread of the pathogen, and an investigation has begun on how it entered the population, Reuters reports.
ASF is harmless to humans but fatal to pigs, leading to major financial loss for pig farmers. The virus originated in Africa before spreading to Europe and Asia, and has killed hundreds of millions of pigs worldwide.
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