South Korea PM orders containment measures against African swine fever

Seoul: South Korea's Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, on Sunday, instructed officials to take emergency containment measures as authorities confirmed more cases of African swine fever (ASF) at a pig farm in a southeastern county.

The instruction came after this year's sixth case of the virus, which is deadly to pigs but not harmful to humans, was confirmed at the farm raising some 900 pigs in Yecheon County, 161 kilometres southeast of Seoul, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Han ordered authorities to take relevant measures, including culling, a standstill order and an epidemiological analysis, the Prime Minister's office said in a statement.

A standstill order has been issued in Yecheon and six other counties and cities nearby, including Andong and Yeongju, through 6 a.m. Monday.

Authorities plan to conduct an epidemiological investigation, cull pigs at the farm, and disinfect the site and nearby roads.

The agriculture ministry said the culling is not expected to impact the supply of pork in the local market, noting that the farm in question raised just 0.008 per cent of the total number of pigs in the country.