October 30, 2019
African Swine Fever has been detected on South Korean farms close to the North Korean border, according to a report in Nature magazine.
The magazine reported that military snipers and drones with thermal vision have been mobilised near the DMZ to kill wild boars which may be carrying the highly contagious virus.
African Swine Fever decimates pig herds but cannot harm humans; the disease has led to the deaths of millions of pigs across Asia, either directly or through culling programs.
There have been 15 confirmed cases in wild boars and 14 in domestic pigs. in South Korea since it was first detected in farms near the North Korean border last month.
South Korea has culled more than 150,000 pigs since these first detections.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization reported last week that 10 Asian countries have ongoing African Swine Fever outbreaks.
The FAO said China has culled at least 1.9 million pigs since its first case in August 2018.
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