Pham Van Dong, head of the Department of Animal Health (third from right, first row) and US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink (fourth from right, first row) take a group photo with Vietnamese ASF first responders at the training course (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The spread of African swine fever (ASF)continues, causing losses for breeders, said Pham Van Dong, head of theDepartment of Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment.
According to the Animal Health Department, the ASF virus has so far spread tomore than 7,700 communes of nearly 650 districts in all 63 provinces and citiesof Vietnam. More than five million pigs have been culled.
“The pathogens have spread rapidly. The virus has existed for a long time inthe environment and in pork with diversified methods of transmissions. Themanagement of ASF has faced difficulties due to large numbers of small-scalepig slaughtering and breeding households,” said Dong.
He said the only successful measure so far is to ensure biological safety inbreeding. All pigsties must be safe and installed with antiseptic measures andnets to isolate pigs from insects which can spread pathogens.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and US Departmentof Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service have held an ASFtraining course for first responders in Hanoi. The course is expected to end onSeptember 25.
The course is part of capacity building events conducted by the US to shareexperience and expertise to help Vietnam combat the transboundary animaldisease.
US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink said the US received a letter inApril 2019 from the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development,asking the US to provide assistance to Vietnam.
Responding to the request, the US is providing 800,000 USD of laboratorydiagnostic equipment to help Vietnam detect ASF and a number of studies,assessments and seminars.
The ambassador highlighted the importance of collaboration between the twocountries as the US regards Vietnam as “a regional strategic partner” incombating the disease.
“Since August 2018, the ASF virus has spread to 10 other countries in theregion. We are confident that Vietnam can play a critical role in helping usdevelop a regional approach to respond to ASF,” he said.
Combating ASF is going to be a long-term challenge. The US and Vietnam shouldcontinue to look at solutions that the two sides can take together in short, midand long terms, he said./.
According to the Animal Health Department, the ASF virus has so far spread tomore than 7,700 communes of nearly 650 districts in all 63 provinces and citiesof Vietnam. More than five million pigs have been culled.
“The pathogens have spread rapidly. The virus has existed for a long time inthe environment and in pork with diversified methods of transmissions. Themanagement of ASF has faced difficulties due to large numbers of small-scalepig slaughtering and breeding households,” said Dong.
He said the only successful measure so far is to ensure biological safety inbreeding. All pigsties must be safe and installed with antiseptic measures andnets to isolate pigs from insects which can spread pathogens.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and US Departmentof Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service have held an ASFtraining course for first responders in Hanoi. The course is expected to end onSeptember 25.
The course is part of capacity building events conducted by the US to shareexperience and expertise to help Vietnam combat the transboundary animaldisease.
US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink said the US received a letter inApril 2019 from the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development,asking the US to provide assistance to Vietnam.
Responding to the request, the US is providing 800,000 USD of laboratorydiagnostic equipment to help Vietnam detect ASF and a number of studies,assessments and seminars.
The ambassador highlighted the importance of collaboration between the twocountries as the US regards Vietnam as “a regional strategic partner” incombating the disease.
“Since August 2018, the ASF virus has spread to 10 other countries in theregion. We are confident that Vietnam can play a critical role in helping usdevelop a regional approach to respond to ASF,” he said.
Combating ASF is going to be a long-term challenge. The US and Vietnam shouldcontinue to look at solutions that the two sides can take together in short, midand long terms, he said./.
VNA
