Hanoi, July 18 : Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued a directive calling for strong and coordinated efforts to control African swine fever (ASF), local daily newspaper Nhan Dan (People) reported Friday.

Since early 2025, over 514 ASF outbreaks have occurred in 28 out of 34 provinces, killing or forcing the culling of more than 30,000 pigs nationwide, the report cited data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

The directive urges local authorities to detect and eliminate outbreaks promptly, enforce strict culling, and punish illegal pig trading and carcass dumping that may spread the virus, according to the report, Xinhua news agency reported.

Veterinary agencies must guide farmers, expand safe zones, and promptly report outbreaks, while ministries are tasked with funding, monitoring, enforcing anti-smuggling, and raising public awareness of African swine fever prevention, the report added.

ASF is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs. It is not a threat to human health and does not affect other animal species. However, it can cause significant economic losses due to the high mortality rate in pigs and the resulting disruptions to trade and production.

ASF is caused by a virus that is highly resistant in the environment and can survive in various pork products.

The virus spreads through direct contact with infected pigs, their secretions or excretions, or through indirect contact via contaminated materials like vehicles, equipment, or food waste.

Infected pigs may exhibit a range of symptoms including high fever, loss of appetite, skin lesions, diarrhea, vomiting, coughing, difficulty breathing, and in some cases, sudden death.

While originating in Africa, ASF has spread to Europe and Asia, with recent outbreaks in the Caribbean, posing a global threat to pig populations.

There is no treatment or vaccine available for ASF, making prevention the primary method of control.

ASF does not pose a risk to human health, and properly prepared pork products are safe to consume.

/IANS