UPDATE 17 December 2018
From South China Morning Post,
- The deadly African swine fever virus is continuing to spread through China, with the total number of affected provinces rising to 22
- As of Friday, two more provinces had been affected, according to a report by state broadcaster CCTV, on top of the 20 which had reported virus outbreaks as of three weeks ago
- The report did not name the two new provinces, but one of them has been confirmed as Qinghai
- According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on Wednesday, there have been recent outbreaks in Sichuan in the southwest – which has previously been affected – and Qinghai in northwestern China
- The Qinghai outbreak affected 69 pigs and is believed to be the first case in the high-altitude province
- Classified as “generally under control” by Chinese authorities in September, when the outbreak was confined to only five provinces
- The virus has continued to spread, even to major cities including Beijing and Shanghai
- Swine flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but rare human infections have occurred
What is Swine Influenza?
• Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but rare human infections have occurred. Swine flu viruses can cause high levels of illness in pig herds, but cause few deaths in pigs. Swine influenza viruses can circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. (CDC, 2018)
Spread of flu viruses between pigs and people is thought to occur in one of three ways:
• The main way is when an infected pig (or person) coughs or sneezes, and droplets containing virus spread through the air. If these droplets land in the nose or mouth, or are inhaled by another person or pig, infection can result
• There also is evidence that variant flu viruses can spread by touching something that has virus on it and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth
• A third way to possibly get infected is to inhale small particles in the air that contain variant flu virus. Most variant flu virus infections have resulted in mild illness in people, but severe illness, including illness resulting in hospitalization and death can and has occurred (CDC, 2018)
South China Morning Post,
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UPDATE 23 November 2018
From South China Morning Post,
African swine fever epidemic reaches Beijing for first time as disease spreads across China
Agriculture ministry confirms first case of disease in the Chinese capital
Officials say more than 600,000 animals have been culled since the first cases were recorded in August
- The disease was found on two farms in the Fangshan District in southwest Beijing where 86 out of more than 1,700 pigs died
- A special task force has since sealed off the farms for culling and disinfection while live pigs and pork products are barred from leaving the area
- Separately, senior ministry officials said during a briefing that 600,000 pigs have been culled since African swine fever was first detected in August in the world’s biggest consumer and producer of pork
- It surfaced in northeastern Liaoning province but has now spread to 20 provinces with 73 cases reported
- “As you can see right now, the situation … is still very severe,” said deputy director of the bureau of husbandry and veterinary medicine Feng Zhongwu
What is Swine Influenza?
• Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but rare human infections have occurred. Swine flu viruses can cause high levels of illness in pig herds, but cause few deaths in pigs. Swine influenza viruses can circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. (CDC, 2018)
Spread of flu viruses between pigs and people is thought to occur in one of three ways:
• The main way is when an infected pig (or person) coughs or sneezes, and droplets containing virus spread through the air. If these droplets land in the nose or mouth, or are inhaled by another person or pig, infection can result
• There also is evidence that variant flu viruses can spread by touching something that has virus on it and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth
• A third way to possibly get infected is to inhale small particles in the air that contain variant flu virus. Most variant flu virus infections have resulted in mild illness in people, but severe illness, including illness resulting in hospitalization and death can and has occurred (CDC, 2018)
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UPDATE-16 November 2018
China: African swine fever outbreak reported in Anhui Province
- Outbreak News Today is Reporting,
An African swine fever outbreak has been reported on a large pig farm in Qingyang county, Anhui Province in eastern China
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs reports, the farm has 8339 live pigs, with 96 diseases and 47 deaths - The local government has started the emergency response mechanism as required, and adopted measures such as blockade, culling, harmless treatment, disinfection, etc., to take care of all the sick and culled pigs
- All pigs and their products are prohibited from being transferred out of the blockade, and pigs are prohibited from being transported into the blockade. At present, the above epidemic has been effectively taken care of
- To date, more than 60 confirmed ASF outbreaks have been reported in China since August, according to the USDA.
- ASF is a highly contagious, generalized disease of pigs caused by an Iridovirus of family Asfarviridae that exhibits varying virulence between strains and is very hardy to physical and chemical inactivation. The agent can remain viable for long periods in blood, feces and tissues. It can also multiply in its vectors
- It most commonly appears in the acute form as a hemorrhagic fever
- Subacute and chronic forms of the disease also exist. Mortality is usually close to 100 percent and pigs of all ages are affected
What is Swine Influenza?
• Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but rare human infections have occurred. Swine flu viruses can cause high levels of illness in pig herds, but cause few deaths in pigs. Swine influenza viruses can circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. (CDC, 2018)
Spread of flu viruses between pigs and people is thought to occur in one of three ways:
• The main way is when an infected pig (or person) coughs or sneezes, and droplets containing virus spread through the air. If these droplets land in the nose or mouth, or are inhaled by another person or pig, infection can result
• There also is evidence that variant flu viruses can spread by touching something that has virus on it and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth
• A third way to possibly get infected is to inhale small particles in the air that contain variant flu virus. Most variant flu virus infections have resulted in mild illness in people, but severe illness, including illness resulting in hospitalization and death can and has occurred (CDC, 2018)
Outbreak News Today,
http://outbreaknewstoday.com/china-african-swine-fever-outbreak-reported-anhui-province-20609/
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UPDATE-12 November 2018
African swine fever found in animal feed raises China’s contagion risk
From Reuters via South China Morning Post
- BEIJING- Major Chinese animal feed maker Tangrenshen Group reported on Sunday that feed produced by one of its units had been contaminated with African swine fever, raising fears of its spread further across the country
- This is the first reported contamination of feed supplies in China and increases the concerns for pig farmers trying to avoid the disease
- In a statement to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, the company said the disease was found in feed samples provided by its 51 percent-owned subsidiary, Bili Meiyingwei Nutrition Feedstuff
- The discovery occurred during inspections after an outbreak of African swine fever on a farm in Qingyang county located in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui
- The origin of the disease remained unclear and the matter was still under investigation
What is Swine Influenza?
• Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but rare human infections have occurred. Swine flu viruses can cause high levels of illness in pig herds, but cause few deaths in pigs. Swine influenza viruses can circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. (CDC, 2018)
Spread of flu viruses between pigs and people is thought to occur in one of three ways:
• The main way is when an infected pig (or person) coughs or sneezes, and droplets containing virus spread through the air. If these droplets land in the nose or mouth, or are inhaled by another person or pig, infection can result
• There also is evidence that variant flu viruses can spread by touching something that has virus on it and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth
• A third way to possibly get infected is to inhale small particles in the air that contain variant flu virus. Most variant flu virus infections have resulted in mild illness in people, but severe illness, including illness resulting in hospitalization and death can and has occurred (CDC, 2018)
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19 October 2018
AFRICAN SWINE FEVER OUTBREAK CHINA
Reuters is reporting,
• From China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
• A new outbreak of African swine fever in, Datong city Shanxi province
• A farm of 15 pigs, 7 infected, 4 killed
• This is the first case confirmed in the northern province
• U.S. Center for Disease Control has not reported this new outbreak
• World Health Organization has not reported this new outbreak
From CDC,
What is Swine Influenza?
• Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but rare human infections have occurred. Swine flu viruses can cause high levels of illness in pig herds, but cause few deaths in pigs. Swine influenza viruses can circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. (CDC, 2018)
Spread of flu viruses between pigs and people is thought to occur in one of three ways:
• The main way is when an infected pig (or person) coughs or sneezes, and droplets containing virus spread through the air. If these droplets land in the nose or mouth, or are inhaled by another person or pig, infection can result
• There also is evidence that variant flu viruses can spread by touching something that has virus on it and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth
• A third way to possibly get infected is to inhale small particles in the air that contain variant flu virus. Most variant flu virus infections have resulted in mild illness in people, but severe illness, including illness resulting in hospitalization and death can and has occurred (CDC, 2018)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-swinefever-shanxi/china-reports-new-african-swine-fever-outbreak-in-city-in-shanxi-province-idUSKCN1MR19E
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/keyfacts_pigs.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/swineflu/transmission-between-pigs-people.pdf
