BEIJING — A senior agricultural official said local authorities must respond swiftly and effectively when an outbreak of African swine fever occurs to stop the disease from spreading. Customs officials across China have intensified their efforts to control and prevent the disease. China has reported 20 African swine fever outbreaks as of Monday, since the first case of the disease was discovered in Liaoning province on Aug 1. Zhu Zengyong, an agriculture analyst at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said China still faces risks of African swine fever being imported, as the disease has been in circulation in countries close to China－even in some Eastern European countries. ADVERTISEMENTThere is currently no treatment or vaccine available to cure or prevent African swine fever, which is highly contagious and has a mortality rate of virtually 100 per cent in pigs.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 25, 2018 09:22 UTC