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A pig suspected of African swine fever was found at a pig farm in Hwacheon, Gangwon-do.
In the first test, all four animals were positive, but if it is finally confirmed, another big blow to the livestock farm is expected.
This is Lee Hyun-jung reporter.
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Yesterday morning, two pigs were found dead in a pre-slaughter inspection at a slaughterhouse in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do.
As a result of the first simplified test, two pigs that died were tested positive for the African swine fever virus.
The pigs that died at the slaughterhouse were shipped from a pig farm in Hwacheon-gun, and a dead mother pig and 5 additional pigs with poor appetite were found at the farm.
The results of the liver test were also positive in 2 animals.
As a result of successive positive tests at slaughterhouses and farms, the Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock Quarantine Headquarters dispatched two livestock quarantine officers to the site to collect samples and conduct a close inspection.
The final confirmation of African swine fever is expected to come out around 6 am today, and if positive is confirmed, all 940 pigs raised on the farm will be killed.
[Hyun-Gyu Jung/Director of Dodram Pig Research Institute (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine): African swine fever is a disease that kills almost 100% once it is infected, with no cure or vaccine yet developed.]
African swine fever first occurred in a pig farm in Paju, Gyeonggi Province in September of last year, and spread to Yeoncheon, Gimpo, and Ganghwa.
At that time, over 430,000 domestic pigs were killed, purchased, or slaughtered.
The quarantine authorities controlled the access of pig farm workers, livestock, and vehicles to the farm in Hwacheon-gun and implemented emergency quarantine such as disinfection.
In addition, in preparation for the further spread of swine fever in Africa, a control post will be installed and movement restrictions will be enforced only for farms belonging to the quarantine zone.