African Swine Fever Confirmed in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang...Total Cases Rise to 15

15 Cases Nationwide... Fears of Further Spread Over Lunar New Year Holiday

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for African swine fever (ASF) announced on February 14 that a case of ASF has been confirmed at a pig farm in Changnyeong County, South Gyeongsang Province.

An official from Changnyeong County, South Gyeongsang Province, is disinfecting vehicles entering farms to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF). Changnyeong County

This brings the total number of ASF outbreaks this year to 15.

Concerns are mounting over further spread, as ASF has recently occurred one after another, including in Hongseong County, South Chungcheong Province, which currently has the largest pig population in the country, and as the Lunar New Year holiday leads to increased movement of people and vehicles.

The headquarters has dispatched an initial quarantine team and an epidemiological investigation team to the site to restrict access by outsiders, livestock, and vehicles to the farm. The pigs being raised there are scheduled to be culled.

In addition, to block contamination in the affected area, pig farms and nearby roads within Changnyeong County are being disinfected. Even after the Lunar New Year holiday, on February 19 and 20, the authorities plan to designate them as "National Intensive Disinfection Days" and disinfect livestock farms and related facilities across the country.

The headquarters stressed, "To prevent the spread of African swine fever, relevant agencies and local governments must make every effort to carry out quarantine measures such as swift disposal of livestock, detailed testing, and intensive disinfection."

It went on to urge, "Pig farmers must strictly comply with administrative orders, including bans on gatherings of farm workers and bans on bringing illegally imported livestock products into farms, and must adhere to basic quarantine guidelines."