Author: Jennifer Shike December 13, 2019 10:51 AM
( National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff )
African swine fever (ASF) has officially been confirmed in Indonesia, the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported Thursday.
The Minister of Agriculture in Indonesia announced an ASF outbreak in North Sumatra Province on Thursday. Since late September, increased pig mortality has been reported in North Sumatra and some other provinces. Earlier reports suggested the mortality was due to ASF, but it was not confirmed.
According to the FAO website, FAO is liaising with the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services. The Director of Animal Health asked FAO to provide recommendations on containment and control of ASF. The FAO team is developing an ASF control plan that’s suited to the conditions in Indonesia.
To date, 11 Asian countries have reported outbreaks since August 2018, including Indonesia, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Timor-Leste.
ASF is a deadly virus that affects both wild and domestic pigs but poses no health threats to humans. It is not a food safety concern. For more information on the spread of ASF, visit
porkbusiness.com/ASF.