0510 African Swine Fever: First Case Hits Hong Kong, China! African Swine Fever Virus Found in Internal Organs of Pigs Shipped from China to Hong Kong, China, 6,000 Pigs to Be Culled

According to Hong Kong, China media reports, Hong Kong, China Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan released at 10 p.m. today (the 10th) that the African swine fever virus was detected in the internal organs of a pig. The organs came from a live pig shipped from China to Hong Kong, China. Although that pig did not reach the market, other live pigs that had contact with it have already reached the market. The Hong Kong, China government will destroy 6,000 live pigs in the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse and carry out thorough disinfection.

African swine fever is spreading rapidly in China, with all 31 provinces/municipalities/autonomous regions affected, and now even Hong Kong, China has fallen. In response, Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung said that the number of positive meat products intercepted by Taiwan at the border is rising steadily, even reaching a peak in April, with an estimated 10.1% being positive cases. "One can imagine that the epidemic prevention pressure Taiwan faces will be even greater, and more positive pork products may appear in border interception!" He called on citizens not to bring meat products from epidemic areas back to Taiwan, and to make every effort to protect Taiwan's pig farming industry.

In terms of epidemic prevention practices, Hong Kong, China, along with Macao, China, China, and Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, were already on the list of countries whose flights are subject to 100% inspection of passengers' carry-on baggage. "Hong Kong, China and Macao, China are very close to China, and were already part of our advanced epidemic prevention planning."

In addition, Chen Chi-chung pointed out that the current high alert is focused on epidemic information from Thailand, North Korea and South Korea. Thailand is surrounded by three countries, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, and has long been on the "high-risk blocking area" watch list, while North Korea has recently also been reported to have an outbreak. "We will further understand the movement of people in and out of North and South Korea and pork trade exchanges. If they are very intensive, once an outbreak in North Korea is confirmed, we will immediately make dynamic adjustments to baggage inspections for flights from South Korea."

(For related news on African swine fever, please click here to read)