Swine fever breaks out in Shanxi

AN outbreak of African swine fever in the northern province of Shanxi has been confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

At a farm in Yaodu District of Linfen City, 45 pigs were confirmed infected with the highly contagious viral disease and 35 were dead, the ministry said.

A team was dispatched to Shanxi immediately, and local authorities have initiated an emergency response to block, cull and disinfect the affected pigs.

African swine fever is believed to infect only pigs, and no humans or other species have thus far been infected.

China reported its first case of the disease in August in the northeast province of Liaoning. Later outbreaks were reported in several other provincial regions.