CHIANG RAI – Authorities in the border town of Tachilek have reported the culling of more than 2000 pigs after nearly 500 pigs allegedly died from African swine fever.
Tachilek borders Chiang Rai province raising fears that African swine fever may now be at Thailand’s borders.
The official cause of death is yet to be determined however African swine fever is highly suspected.
With African swine fever running rampant throughout China and Laos, it’s currently the main suspect for the mass deaths.
The virus causes a hemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates in domestic pigs. Some isolates can cause the death of animals as quickly as a week after infection according to Wikipedia.
Thailand has banned the import of pork from China and Laos, with Myanmar likely to follow if the pigs test positive for the insidious disease.
Diagnostic teams were sent to the Tachileik District, as well as to Mong La Special Region 4, to confirm whether it is the African swine fever or not.
Blood and tissue samples have sent to Yangon for testing of African swine fever.
Pigs Culled Across Asia as Swine Fever Spreads
South-east Asia is battling to contain the spread of highly contagious African swine fever, known as “pig Ebola”, which has already led to the culling of millions of pigs in China and Vietnam.
African swine fever, which is harmless to humans but fatal to pigs, was discovered in China in August, where it has caused havoc, leading to more than 1.2m pigs being culled.
There is no vaccination for African swine fever, which causes pigs to internally hemorrhage until they die.
The only option to contain the disease is to kill any contaminated animals.
Some estimates say that in China up to 200m animals may eventually be slaughtered.
The virus can last for several weeks on anything from clothes to vehicles. Allowing for it to easily travel long distances.
Source: Irrawaddy, Chiang Mai One
