South Korea Confirms First Swine Fever Outbreak
Muhammad Irfan Published September 17, 2019 | 10:20 AM
Seoul, Sept 17 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2019 ) :South Korea on Tuesday reported its first cases of African swine fever, becoming the latest country hit by the disease that has killed pigs from China to North Korea, pushing up pork prices worldwide.
Five pigs found dead at a farm in Paju, a city near the inter-Korean border, were confirmed to have been infected with the virus, an official with Seoul's agriculture ministry told AFP.
"At this point, it's too early to confirm if the case stemmed from the North," the official added.
Seoul's agriculture minister Kim Hyun-soo said 3,950 pigs from three farms in Paju were to be culled.
The country has raised its animal disease alert to the highest level and a nationwide 48-hour ban on the movement of pigs was issued, he added.
The virus is not harmful to humans but causes haemorrhagic fever in pigs that is almost always fatal.
There is no antidote or vaccine and the only known way to prevent the disease from spreading is a mass cull of affected livestock.
Although this was the first confirmed outbreak of African swine fever in the South, the country has battled a number of animal diseases in the past.
In 2014, outbreaks of avian flu in poultry farms resulted in the culling of more than 500,000 birds.
A 2011 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease resulted in the culling of nearly 3.5 million cattle, pigs and other animals.
The confirmed cases in the South came around three months after Pyongyang told the World Organisation for Animal Health that dozens of pigs had died from the disease at a farm near the Chinese border, according to the South's agriculture ministry.
In June, Seoul said the disease was "highly likely" to enter the country from the North and ordered fences to be erected at farms along the border to prevent possible contact between pigs and wild boar.
There are around 6,700 pig farms across South Korea and pig farming accounts for 40 percent of the total livestock industry.
In May, the UN's food and Agricultural Organization said pork prices had risen by up to 50 percent both in China and on the Chicago futures exchange as a result of the outbreak.
Last month, it said almost five million pigs in Asia had died or been culled because of the spread of the disease.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Mired in crisis, Boeing reports another loss
Session Awarding Ceremony 2024 held at Cadet College Muzaffarabad
Austrian ski great Hirscher to make comeback under Dutch flag
Pakistan, Japan agrees to convene 'Economic Policy Dialogue'
FM Dar conveys deepest sympathy on torrential rains devastation in UAE
Spain PM Sanchez says weighing resignation after wife's graft probe
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 1st update
Long-lost Klimt portrait auctioned off for 30 mn euros
Osaka seals first win on clay since 2022 in Madrid
Earthquake jolts Karachi
Sindh minister orders operation after attack on police in Ghotki
TikTok to fight US ban law in courts
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
PDMA predicts gusty wind, rain with thunder, hails
1 day ago -
Iranian president Raisi given guard of honour at PM House
3 days ago -
Intellectuals, writers accolades Naseer Mirza on his literary contribution
3 days ago -
Bahawalpur Adabi Sangat hosts memorable mushaira
3 days ago -
Cattle farming vital to alleviate poverty in rural areas
3 days ago -
Pakistan: A land of tourism, archeological wonders
4 days ago
-
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
6 days ago -
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
10 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
10 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
11 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur presents program “Eidi Shidi”
13 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur to broadcast Eid programs
16 days ago