Pet pig’s loss of life prompts African swine fever probe in Thailand

Thailand’s livestock authorities vowed to research the loss of life of a pet pig after a college lab take a look at indicated it died from African swine fever, the primary such report within the nation.
Thailand has for years insisted its pig herds remained unaffected by African swine fever, which over current years has swept by Europe and Asia and killed lots of of hundreds of thousands of pigs, significantly in China, at the same time as its Southeast Asian neighbours reported outbreaks.
A miniature pet pig in Bangkok was discovered to have died from the illness after it was introduced in by its proprietor for a lab take a look at that was performed in early December at Kasetsart University, mentioned Nattavut Ratanavanichrojn, affiliate dean on the college’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Nakhon Pathom province, west of Bangkok.

“African swine fever has been found in Thailand, because we found it,” Nattavut informed Reuters late on Friday, including that the college had despatched the pig’s post-mortem consequence to Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development final month. He added that the proprietor had two different miniature pigs in the identical family that additionally died later.
The college’s discovery follows rising hypothesis that an African swine fever outbreak is already decimating Thai pig herds, with pig costs surging due to decrease pig provide this 12 months. Thai authorities have repeatedly denied an African swine fever outbreak and beforehand attributed most farm pig deaths to a different viral illness known as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).
Chaiwat Yothakol, deputy director-general of the Department of Livestock Development, mentioned late on Friday that “the department will investigate whether the pig was really infected with the disease.”
“As of now we have not found the disease here,” he mentioned.

African swine fever is innocent to people however deadly to pigs, and there’s no vaccine to protect towards the virus. Thailand suspended exports of dwell pigs beginning on Thursday till April 5 to shore up home provides. Authorities estimated Thailand may have simply 13 million pigs this 12 months, fewer than the 19 million it normally produces.
Farmgate pig costs in Thailand had been quoted at round 105 baht ($3.12) per kg final week, 30% greater than costs from the identical interval a 12 months in the past, knowledge from the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand confirmed. Prices of pork in Bangkok had been seen this week at round 182.50 baht per kg, almost 29% greater than in January 2021, in response to Thai commerce ministry knowledge.