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The Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed the presence of African swine fever (ASF) in samples collected from pigs in the Dominican Republic. Sample collection is part of a cooperative surveillance program.
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Dominican Republic has reported that the results of the 389 samples belonging to pigs raised in farms and backyard sent to the Laboratory of Animal Diseases of Plum Island, in the United States, indicate the presence of African swine fever in backyard pigs from the provinces Sánchez Ramírez and Montecristi.
In the Sánchez Ramírez province there is a population of 15,000 pigs, while that of Montecristi is approximately 4,600 pigs.
The Ministry of Agriculture, through the Department of Animal Health, has arranged the following preventive measures:
- Transport ban on live and dead pigs to and from the Sánchez Ramírez and Montecristi provinces.
- Implementation of a quarantine in both provinces.
- Cleaning and disinfection of the affected places by staff from the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Periodic epidemiological surveys in the affected provinces.
- Total military control of all strategic points in both provinces.
- Promotional campaign to inform about the ban on transport of live and slaughtered pigs.
In relation to the United States, both the entry of live pigs and pork products from the Dominican Republic are prohibited in the United States as a result of existing restrictions for classical swine fever. Additionally, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is increasing the inspections of flights from the Dominican Republic to ensure that travelers do not bring prohibited products into the United States. CBP will also ensure that leftovers from these aircraft is properly disposed of to prevent transmission of ASF.
July 28, 2021/ USDA/ United States.
https://www.aphis.usda.gov
