Thailand Bans Pig Imports from Myanmar Over African Swine Fever

BANGKOK – Thailand will ban the import of pigs from Myanmar for 90 days, the country’s livestock department told Reuters. The ban comes after an outbreak African swine fever was confirmed Tachilek, Myanmar in this week.

The pig ban, expected to start next week, would cover live pigs and wild boars from exported from Myanmar.

The ban is intended to prevent the African swine fever from spreading into Thailand.

It followed a similar ban Thailand issued for pig imports from Laos in June.

African swine fever hasn’t crossed into Thailand, said Sorawit Thanito, director of the Livestock Development Department.

“There is no outbreak of the African swine fever in Thailand,” he said.

Earlier today, China also banned the import of pigs, wild boars and related products from Myanmar over concerns about African swine fever.

China has been battling the disease since the middle of last year.

African swine fever has spread to all of China’s provinces and regions, since it was first detected there last August.

Pigs Culled Across Asia as African Swine Fever Spreads

South-east Asia is battling to contain the spread of highly contagious African swine fever, known as “pig Ebola”, which has already led to the culling of millions of pigs in China and Vietnam.

African swine fever, which is harmless to humans but fatal to pigs, was discovered in China in August, where it has caused havoc, leading to more than 1.2m pigs being culled.

There is no vaccination for African swine fever, which causes pigs to internally hemorrhage until they die.

The only option to contain the disease is to kill any contaminated animals.

Some estimates say that in China up to 200m animals may eventually be slaughtered.

The virus can last for several weeks on anything from clothes to vehicles. Allowing for it to easily travel long distances.