Gyeonggi-do, African Swine Fever Outbreak in Yangju... Full Efforts to Prevent Further Spread

Seven Northern Gyeonggi Cities under Temporary Standstill Order to Block Contaminant Spread
Enhanced Surveillance and Inspections for Quarantined Farms... Intensive Disinfection in Progress

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 31st that it is making all-out efforts to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) within the province following an outbreak at a pig farm in Yangju on the 28th.

Gyeonggi Province is making every effort to prevent the spread within the province after African Swine Fever (ASF) occurred at a pig farm in Yangju on the 28th. Photo by Gyeonggi Province

The affected farm is located within the quarantine zone of the first outbreak pig farm in Yangju this year, reported on the 20th, and had previously reported the death of a sow during surveillance. After a confirmatory test returned positive, the existing quarantine zone has been maintained.

Gyeonggi Province first issued a 24-hour Standstill order from 6 p.m. on the 28th to 6 p.m. on the 29th for pig farms, livestock facilities (such as slaughterhouses), and livestock vehicles in seven cities and counties within the province (Yangju, Paju, Pocheon, Yeoncheon, Gapyeong, Dongducheon, Uijeongbu) to block virus transmission between farms.

Additionally, 4,134 pigs raised at the affected farm were culled, and preventive measures were taken for 4,041 pigs at two nearby farms. A total of 148 available resources, including wide-area disinfectant sprayers and disinfection vehicles, were mobilized to thoroughly disinfect the farm and surrounding roads.

Furthermore, movement restrictions were imposed on 43 farms within a 10 km radius quarantine zone of the affected farm, 23 farms epidemiologically related to the farm, and 32 farms related to slaughterhouse epidemiology. Clinical surveillance was conducted with no abnormalities found. For farms within the quarantine zone, surveillance and inspections were strengthened, and after clinical examinations of pig pens, blood samples for confirmatory testing were collected?up to 15% of sows per pigpen (maximum 15 heads) and 20 heads of fattening pigs per farm.

Movement restrictions will be maintained for more than 30 days for the affected farm and farms within the 10 km quarantine zone, while epidemiologically related farms will be restricted for at least 21 days from the last visit by vehicles or people.

Gyeonggi Province is intensively promoting the outbreak situation and biosecurity guidelines to pig farms within the province and plans to continue disinfecting major roads and farms in border and adjacent areas by mobilizing all available disinfection resources to prevent horizontal transmission of African Swine Fever.

Lee Eun-kyung, Director of Animal Quarantine and Hygiene at Gyeonggi Province, stated, “From November to January, wild boars expand their range due to breeding season and may appear near pig farms while foraging. Therefore, please thoroughly check external fences of farms and strictly adhere to basic biosecurity measures such as changing boots. If any suspicious symptoms of African Swine Fever, such as death or loss of appetite in pigs, are observed, please report immediately to the quarantine department.”