HANOI, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's southern Ba Ria Vung Tau province has been stricken by African swine fever (ASF), becoming the country's 59th locality affected by the animal disease, Vietnam News Agency reported on Monday.
Specimens from pigs raised by two households in the province's Chau Duc district and Ba Ria city have been tested positive to the ASF virus, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
To prevent ASF from spreading, local agencies have culled over 160 pigs raised by the households and have disinfected surrounding areas.
Since the first outbreak in Vietnam's northern Hung Yen province in February, the epidemic has led to the culling of some 2.6 million pigs nationwide, or 7.8 percent of the country's total pig population, the agency reported.
ASF is a severe viral disease affecting domestic pigs and boars which can be spread by live or dead pigs and pork products. The ASF virus is harmless to human, but causes hemorrhagic fever in pigs and wild boars that is almost fatal.
