South Korea Reports African Swine Fever on Large Commercial Pig Farm
(Canva.com)

A South Korea pig farm with 2,400 pigs confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) on Sunday. The country is on high alert to contain the spread of this deadly virus just three months after the latest confirmed case on May 4. 

According to the Korea Herald, the government-led ASF task force announced that the ASF case was confirmed at a domesticated pig farm in Goseong-gun, Gangwon Province. This farm is the only pig farm in a three-kilometer radius. There are two other farms with a combined 3,100 pigs in a 10-kilometer radius.

To date, South Korea has confirmed 18 cases of ASF at local pig farms since the outbreak started in September 2019. Authorities culled more than 450,000 farmed pigs culled across 14 pig farms in the first 30 days. Counting wild boars, ASF has been confirmed in a total of 1,517 cases.

There is no vaccine for ASF. This virus has a fatality rate of nearly 100% for infected animals. It does not pose a risk to humans or food safety.

“Officials believe the latest resurgence came as young boars born in the spring became more active in summer months. The virus is active across Europe and Asia, and it was also found to have spread to South America in recent months,” the article said.

The task force ordered all pigs in the Goseong-gun farm to be culled and is carrying out disinfection efforts in nearby areas, the Korea Herald reports. Domesticated pigs in Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province are under a stop movement order from 6 a.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Tuesday.

The Ministry of Environment told the Korea Herald it would strengthen its search for wild boars and their dead carcasses while installing more fences to prevent movements of wild boars that are suspected of causing recent outbreaks. 

Stay up to date on the latest ASF News.

Read more from Farm Journal's PORK:

Do You Know the Signs of African Swine Fever?

Feds Issue New Rules for Importing Dogs from ASF-Positive Countries

Pork Industry Focuses on Keeping African Swine Fever Out of the U.S.

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African Swine Fever South Korea Biosecurity Hog Health
 

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