Viet Nam News
HÀ NỘI — Quảng Ninh Province is taking steps to combat the spread of African swine fever.
The northern coastal province has established five quarantine checkpoints operating 24/7 at provincial gateways adjacent to neighbouring localities to tighten control of pig and poultry imports.
As of Sunday, the disease had been reported in seven provinces and cities across the country, with at least 4,200 pigs culled.
Operating from March 3, the checkpoints were set up in Đá Bạc Bridge (Uông Bí City) and the tollgate of Bạch Đằng bridge (Quảng Yên Town) which are adjacent to Hải Phòng City; Vàng Bridge and Đá Vách Bridge (Đông Triều Town) adjacent to Hải Dương; and Tân Dân Commune (Hoành Bồ district) on Highway 279, heading to Bắc Giang Province.
At the checkpoints, all vehicles carrying pigs will be inspected for documentation and could have disinfectant sprayed on them.
On Monday, at the Bạch Đằng Bridge checkpoint, authorities found six out of nine pig-carrying vehicles entering the province without correct documentation, and were turned around.
With a diverse transport system including the recently-built Hạ Long - Hải Phòng Expressway, National Road 18, Highway 279 and a border with China, the northern province is key to the pork trade in Việt Nam.
Head of Quảng Ninh Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, Trần Xuân Đông, said trading of food products, especially pork, in the locality was a large industry, making the disease’s spread easy.
According to statistics, Quảng Ninh has 340 pig farms with a total of 43,000 pigs, six concentrated cattle and poultry slaughtering houses and 865 other slaughtering houses.
Of the seven provinces and cities to have reported the disease, Hải Phòng and Hải Dương provinces both border Quảng Ninh.
Quảng Ninh also has a border stretching over 118km with China, where African swine fever has also been reported.
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), African swine fever is a fatal infectious disease caused by a virus which spreads rapidly among pigs. — VNS
