More than 4,000 pigs were culled in No 4 Mongla Special Region, eastern Shan State during August as the outbreak of African swine flu occurred, according to the official data collected by Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department.
The deaths of pigs in were much related to the outbreak of African swine flu in No 4 Mongla Special Region in eastern Shan State. The Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department released an announcement in State-owned newspaper issued on August 13.
The announcement stated that 12 pigs were dead because of suspected disease in Wannwe village, Ponsan village tract, No 4 Mongla Special Region in Kengtung District, Shan State. The samples of the dead pigs were tested in animal disease diagnosis laboratories by using molecular technology and the findings showed the genes of African swine flu.
“Our department dispatched special groups to make checks on pig farms. These special groups went to pig farms to get samples and then diagnosis was made. The lab results showed the virus of African swine flu. In an effort to control the disease, more than 4,000 pigs were culled, said Dr. Min Thein Maw, Director of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department.
The African swine flu is a kind of viral disease. Death rate is high in pet pigs and wild pigs. There are neither special vaccines nor medications. After confirming the outbreak of the viral disease, the pigs from the confirmed pig farm have to be culled. Pesticides have to be sprayed at the whole pig farm. Pigs and pig products have to be banned from importing in the virus-affected region.
More than 1,160,000 pigs were culled in China starting from August 3 in 2019, more than 3115 pigs in Mongolia starting from January 15, and more than 3,700,000 pigs in Viet Nam starting from February 19. Pig breeding saw a big loss because of the African swine flu and it cannot infect humans.
Neighbours China and Thailand still ban pig and pig products from being imported from Myanmar because African swine flu broke out in No 4 Mongla Special Region in eastern Shan State and No 2 Wa Special Region in northern Shan State during August.
The WHO said that highly infectious disease would be likely to spread Myanmar, Lao, Cambodia, and Viet Nam due to outbreak of African Swine flu in Yunnan Province in China.
Translated and Edited by Win Htut
