Faced with the complicated developments of the African swine fever epidemic (DTLCP) with its rapid spread and causing serious damage to the livestock industry, Chairman of the Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee Le Hai Hoa issued urgent telegram No. 19/CD-CT, requesting the entire political system to take drastic action to control and completely suppress the epidemic in August 2025.
According to the latest report, as of August 6, the whole Cao Bang province had 725/1,462 hamlets and residential groups in all 56 communes and wards that had an epidemic with a total of 40,266 pigs forced to be destroyed (equivalent to 2,085 tons).
In particular, in the telegram, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Cao Bang province pointed out the subjectivity, negligence, and lack of control in epidemic prevention work of some departments and localities.
Although the Provincial People's Committee has issued a series of directive documents such as Official Dispatch No. 1039, 1778, 2091 and Official Dispatch No. 15, the implementation at the grassroots level still has many shortcomings.
The Department of Agriculture and Environment (DONRE) has not promoted its role as a consultant, inspector and supervisor, leading to delays in handling newly arising outbreaks.
Many localities have also shown negligence in direction, even allowing people to arbitrarily handle the dead pigs, increasing the risk of disease spread. The system of quarantine posts is ineffective, causing the situation of transporting sick pigs out of the epidemic area to continue.
In this situation, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee has requested relevant units to immediately implement measures. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment must strengthen inspection and close supervision, ensure adequate vaccines and epidemic prevention chemicals, and mobilize maximum veterinary forces to key areas to completely handle newly arising outbreaks.
The People's Committees of communes and wards are required to organize safe destruction, strictly implement disinfection and disinfection work in epidemic areas, and establish 24/7 control teams at key checkpoints to prevent illegal pig transportation.
Media agencies also need to step up propaganda work, provide accurate information and promptly refute false rumors that cause public confusion.
Official Dispatch No. 19 emphasized: "The entire Cao Bang province must focus all resources to completely suppress the epidemic in August, creating favorable conditions for safe herding, ensuring stable income for people in the last months of the year. Localities and units that are slow or irresponsible in epidemic prevention will be strictly handled according to regulations."
Although African swine fever is unlikely to spread to humans, the economic losses it causes are huge, seriously affecting the livestock industry and the lives of thousands of households.
Therefore, the synchronous and drastic implementation of epidemic prevention measures at this time is extremely urgent to protect production and stabilize people's lives in the province.
