African swine fever contained in China

China has effectively contained the spread of African swine fever as the number of new outbreaks has slowed down this year, Han Changfu, minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said on Tuesday.

Since the highly contagious disease was first detected in August in China's Liaoning province, 122 cases — 119 affecting domestic pigs and three involving wild boars — have been confirmed in 30 provincial-level regions, Han said at the International Symposium on Prevention and Control of African Swine Fever held in Beijing.

As of Tuesday, quarantines were lifted in 108 disease-stricken areas, he said, adding that the number of new cases in each of the first three months of this year was contained within single digits, signifying a slowdown in the disease spread.

Han added that the domestic live hog production and pork supply are generally stable.

Monique Eloit, director-general of the World Health Organization for Animal Health, said she appreciated China's efforts in combating African swine fever as the massive scale of hog herds in the country and the dispersed breeding farms have posed great difficulties.

She also encouraged the ministry to share its experience, tools and measures with other American and African countries to enhance their capability in fighting the disease.

Bukar Tijani, assistant director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, said it's both surprising and encouraging to see the number of new outbreaks drop in China. He said the situation could have been much worse because China is home to more than half of the global pork consumption and over 50 percent of small pig farmers worldwide reside in the country.

Han said the ministry will continue to enhance international cooperation mechanisms and step up research into developing vaccines.

African swine fever, deadly to pigs but not harmful to humans, was first discovered in Kenya in 1921 and has since spread to 64 countries and regions.

Last year saw a surge in infections worldwide, as 25 countries and regions reported more than 6,500 new outbreaks. There is no effective vaccine against the disease.