20/34 provinces and cities have outbreaks less than 21 days
According to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), African swine fever is on the rise, mainly the recurrence of old outbreaks, arising in small-scale livestock farming, in households where livestock farming conditions do not ensure biosafety.
According to statistics, from the beginning of 2025 to now, there have been 514 outbreaks nationwide in 27 provinces and cities. The number of infected pigs is more than 29,642, the number of dead and destroyed pigs is 30,462. Currently, the whole country has 248 outbreaks in 20 provinces and cities (after the merger) in less than 21 days, the number of infected pigs is 19,699, the number of dead and destroyed pigs is 20,280.
In addition to the outbreak of African swine fever, people in many provinces and cities also reported that pig carcasses was thrown haphazardly onto the streets or released into rivers and ditches, causing environmental pollution and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. According to the reflection of people in Cam Due commune, Ha Tinh province, in recent days, they have discovered dead pigs dumped on the N5 canal between village 1 and village 2, Cam Due commune. The dead pigs have decomposed heavily, giving off a foul smell.
In recent days, reporters of Lao Dong Newspaper have also recorded the situation of dead pigs dumped on both sides of the road in the old Tan Linh commune (now Suoi Hai commune, Hanoi). Many pigs have almost all decomposed, some of which have just been thrown onto the road. The severe pollution and foul odor make road users scared.
Faced with this situation, the local government organized a collection to destroy it. However, the destruction has made people worried, when the destruction pit is located close to the roadside, there are many people passing by. Moreover, after about 4 days of burying, this destruction hole showed signs of leakage, giving off a foul smell, and flies were concentrated, polluting an entire area.
Vaccine is the most effective measure to prevent epidemics
According to Mr. Phan Quang Minh - Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) - the situation of hiding and not reporting epidemics on the system is becoming common, causing the spread of the epidemic and seriously challenging the work of disease prevention and control. Although there are effective vaccines against pigs, many farmers are still subjective and do not vaccinate their livestock. Along with that, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine admitted that the local veterinary system is still lacking and weak, so it has not been able to promptly carry out the work of monitoring, detecting and handling outbreaks in some localities. The sanctions have not been implemented seriously and lack deterrence.
In the coming time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will review and amend legal regulations on sanctions for administrative violations in the veterinary sector to increase the penalty for acts of hiding out epidemics, not reporting epidemics, transporting and trading pigs of unknown origin.
At the same time, strictly manage pig farming, slaughtering, trading pigs and the consumption of pork products, closely monitor slaughterhouses, ensure only healthy pig slaughter with clear origins. Apply hygiene and disinfection measures at the slaughterhouse, strictly handle violations of disease prevention and control and food safety.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien said that the African swine fever virus has now appeared a new strain with a higher mortality rate in pigs. The Ministry has directed the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine to coordinate with businesses and some countries in the world to cut the genome of this new virus strain to proactively make vaccines. "Only vaccines combined with biosafety and epidemic safety are an effective measure to control epidemics. However, we have only vaccinated about 4 million doses of African swine fever vaccine. Meanwhile, African swine fever occurs mainly in small-scale livestock households, so in the coming time, it is necessary to propagate and mobilize to increase the vaccination rate, creating a more solid protective layer" - Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien said.
