China: Sichuan province reports African swine fever in piglet truck; all culled

The Chinese province of Sichuan, on Sunday, announced that it had detected the African swine fever virus in piglets being illegally transported from other provinces, but asserted that it does not have any reports of the virus inside the province this year. Since the beginning of this year, large number of swines have died in China’s top hog-producing province after it saw a resurgence of the infection. Experts have raised concern if it could further spread to the country’s south, causing massive repercussions to the largest pork consumer in the world. 

Swine Fever is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease which causes fever, hemorrhages, skin discoloration, indigestion in pigs. Meanwhile, the Sichuan provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said that all the infected piglets were in a truck that halted in Huaying city. The truck was carrying a total of 89 piglets with one already dead. All the piglets were later culled, the department added. 

China is officially the largest producer of pork in the world. According to the latest data by statista.com, the Asian nation produced over 34 million metric tons of pork only in 2020. The African swine fever virus wiped out about half of China's pig population in 2018 and 2019 but the country rebuilt it over last year. However, the infection has rekindled this year with outbreaks detected in the country's north. 

New form of swine infection

Earlier this year, experts said that the 'new form' of African swine fever identified in Chinese pig farms was most likely caused by illicit vaccines. China, which heavily relies on pork, has not approved any vaccine for African swine fever. However, farmers struggling to protect their pigs have resorted to unapproved products including vaccines, which are now spreading even more infection.

In January, China identified two new strains of African swine fever which have infected than 1,000 sows on several farms owned by New Hope Liuhe, the fourth-largest producer in the country. Although under control at present, the new infection poses a threat of proliferating globally through Chinese pork experts. Responding to the same, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, had said it would test pigs for different strains of the virus as part of a nationwide investigation into illegal vaccine use.

Image: AP