ASF spreading in China

Another province in China is now infected with African Swine Fever. A Pork Checkoff report says there are now 24 distinct areas in China that have tested positive for the disease. China is requiring their slaughterhouses to run testing for the virus on pig products before they’re allowed to sell them to market. Slaughterhouses must slaughter pigs from different areas separately. They can only sell products if the blood from the same batch of pigs’ test negative for the ASF virus. A new regulation will go into effect on February 1st requiring slaughterhouses to suspend operations and disinfect their facilities if they get a positive test. Officials in Taiwan reported that one dead pig found on the shore of its Kinmen Island has tested positive for ASF. They believe the animal was dumped on the beach in mainland China and washed ashore in Taiwan. The island nation is taking precautions to protect itself from ASF, including tighter security on all incoming boats and planes from the Chinese mainland. In Europe, officials in France have begun to cull wild boar populations near the border with Belgium in an attempt to keep the virus from spreading out of wild hog populations within Belgium.