African Swine Fever Incident No. 2

Chinese authorities appear to be chasing African Swine Fever around the country as a new discovery of the virus was confirmed today by China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs 750 miles south of where the first cases were reported two weeks ago. 

On August 14, 30 dead pigs and 30 sick pigs were discovered in a truck carrying 260 pigs when it arrived at a slaughter facility in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province. Today, tests by China's national animal disease center confirmed that African Swine Fever (ASF) was the cause of the illness and death. 

Inspection and quarantine documents showed that the truckload of ASF-infected pigs discovered in Zhengzhou originated from a market in Heli Town, located in the Jiamusi district of Heilongjiang Province, about 1,350 miles northeast of Zhengzhou. Jiamusi is in the eastern part of Heilongjiang where authorities had been conducting surveillance earlier this year to watch for ASF in wild pigs. The new discovery of the highly contagious virus in Zhengzhou is about 750 miles south of the previous discovery of ASF in Shenyang on August 3.

Following the latest discovery of ASF in Zhengzhou, Chinese authorities blockaded the region to prevent transport of pigs and other susceptible animals and their products, disposed of pigs, and carried out disinfections. An investigation team was sent to Heilongjiang. Authorities have pronounced the disease to be under "effective control" in Zhengzhou.

A spokesman from Zhengzhou's publicity office claimed to have no knowledge of the matter.

On August 15, authorities pronounced the disease to be under effective control in Shenyang after culling 8,116 pigs there. Authorities are paying 800 yuan per head in compensation for culled pigs.

At current market prices a 100-kg hog would be worth 1264 yuan in the northeastern provinces and 1391 yuan in eastern provinces.