ASF China: Count at 74 outbreaks; dead wild boar confirmed

The finding of ASF virus in dead wild boar is not a surprise but it is nevertheless a confirmation as to the gravity of the problem in China. With ASF having entered the China’s wild boar pool, it has become more likely that the virus will become endemic as it is difficult to eradicate from a wild boar population in a country as vast as China.

The one case was reported by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) on November 16, in a wild boar in Baishan city, Jilin province in the country’s North East. The outbreak has not yet been confirmed by the World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE).

ASF also in Shanghai and Sichuan

In the meantime, the 2 latest provinces to become affected by ASF are Shanghai Municipality and Sichuan. Both outbreaks are not good news. Shanghai is China’s largest city by population (more than 24 million inhabitants) and Sichuan is China’s most important swine state.

Read more about African Swine Fever in our Health Tool

In Shanghai, ASF was found on a farm with 314 pigs; in Sichuan 2 cases were reported. One occurred near the city Chengdu on a farm with 110 pigs; the other on a backyard farm close to the border with Yunnan province. This farm had 40 pigs.

In total, now 74 outbreaks have been reported in 19 provinces of China. Official count of victims through infections or culling is almost 140,000 pigs. According to press agency Reuters, the Chinese authorities have announced ‘tough steps’ to fight ASF with strong penalties for behaviour leading to a delay or cover up of reporting outbreaks.

ASF in feedstuffs in China – or not?

There was rumour last week that traces of ASF virus were found in feedstuffs produced in China. That turned out to be incorrect, wrote Reuters. The Chinese company Tangrenshen, which initially had voiced suspicions in that direction, later confirmed that no traces of ASF had been found in any of its feed products.

Video about ASF in China?

Last but not least – this video has been circulating at Twitter for some time. It was posted on a Japanese account late October 2018. Difficult to say if this was shot recently and whether it is in China – but in case this indeed concerns ASF victims in China as the accompanying text seems to suggest, it confirms that the problem of ASF is out of control.

すでに報道されていますが、中国現在、アフリカ豚コレラに感染する豚が急速に増加しています。中国滞在中の方、気をつけてください！ pic.twitter.com/hVXPxqEPWG

— 地蛋 (@Wl9uZ) 31 October 2018