AFRICAN SWINE FEVER IN VIETNAM

Lessons learnt

Tokyo, 25/02/2020

Dr. Nguyen Van Long, DVM, MSc, PhD

Deputy Director General of the Department of Animal Health

Email: long.dahvn@gmail.com

Outline

I. Pig production in Vietnam

II. Update Vietnam’s ASF situation

III. Lessons learnt

I. PIG PRODUCTION

• Pig population:

• Before ASF introduction (Feb 2019): > 30

million

• Updated: ~ 24 million

• Pork volume:

• 3.82 million tons

• Prevent at more than 70% of daily Vietnamese

meals

• Breeding pigs:

• Before ASF introduction (Feb 2019): 3.8 million

sows and 76,000 boars

• Updated: ~ 2.7 million sows

2,7 million Household/backyard pig production: 70%

Semi-industrial and industrial pig production: 30%

II. SITUATION OF AFRICAN

SWINE FEVER IN VIETNAM

NECROPSY LESIONS OF THE FIRST ASF OUTBREAK IN VIETNAM (Hung Yen Province- 01/2/2019)

On 01 Feb 2019, a pig raising household in Hung Yen province (North of Vietnam) reported

sick pigs with high fever and death pigs, DAH staff investigated immediately and took

samples that were then tested at four laboratories using different testing protocols (OIE,

USDA, AAHL) with various primer sets and probes. Conclusion of ASF positive.

2.1. First detection of ASF in Vietnam

Genetic characterization of ASF viruses circulating in Vietnam

Vietnamese ASFV strains shared 100% at both

nucleotide and amino acid identity when

compared with Chinese ASFV strains

AALH’s expert worked with DAH’s staff

to successfully carry out virus isolation

2.2. Updated on ASF in Vietnam

• By 20 Feb 2020,

cumulatively, more than

8,500 infected communes

of more than 660 districts

of 63/63 provinces.

• About 8,200 (96%) infected

communes (outbreaks) were

resolved.

• 34/63 provinces had no

more cases after 30 days

(the duration to declare

outbreaks are resolved)

• 570 communes of 235

districts were infected again

after 30 days

African swine fever in Vietnam, February to June 2019. Image plots showing the number of

ASF-infected communes per square kilometer for: (a) 1 February to 20 March; (b) 21 March to

10 May; and (c) 11 May to 30 June. Contour lines on each plot show areas where there were more

than 40 ASF-positive communes per 100 communes per square kilometer

Temporal distribution of ASF outbreaks in Vietnam between Feb and Dec 2019

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1-Feb-19 1-Mar-19 1-Apr-19 1-May-19 1-Jun-19 1-Jul-19 1-Aug-19 1-Sep-19 1-Oct-19 1-Nov-19 1-Dec-19

Num

ber

of

outb

reaks

(infe

cted c

om

munes)

Day onset

African swine fever (ASF) in Vietnam, February to June 2019. Frequency histogram showing the number of

ASF infected premises detected per day as a function of calendar date. The superimposed error bar plot shows

the estimated case reproduction number (R0) and its 95% confidence interval. Boundaries of each of the

North, Central and South regions of Vietnam

2.3. Factors related to the introduction

and wide spread of ASF in Vietnam

• Long borders with many thousand people and vehicles cross over

the borders daily. Vietnam detected ASF virus in illegal pork

products

• International travels to Vietnam with million people who could

carry food with virus. ASFV can maintain well for long time in

the environment and pork and death pigs

• At beginning, all outbreaks (100%) occurred at backyard pig

farms so no or low biosecurity; no outbreaks occurred in

commercial farms

• None-zoonotic disease so that farmers could did panic selling,

especially during Tet and festival events during first months of the

lunar year

• Transportation, swill feeding, people, etc.

III. PREVENTION AND

CONTROL ACTIVITIES

3.1. Before the first detection of ASF in Vietnam

• On 30 August 2018, Minister of MARD sent the urgent telegraph to

request all relevant ministries and provinces to implement all

necessary actions for preventing ASF coming to Vietnam

• On 12 September 2018, Prime Minister sent Urgent telegraph to

request all relevant ministries and provinces to implement all

necessary actions for preventing ASF coming to Vietnam

• On 14 September 2018, Deputy Prime Minister chaired the Video

Conference with all relevant ministries and 63 provinces to discuss

and request implementation of necessary actions for preventing ASF

coming to Vietnam

• On 15 Nov 2018, MARD approved the National Contingency Plan

for preventing ASF coming Vietnam

• Compensation (Degree 02): 38.000 Dong (1.7 USD) per live kg

Member of Party and

Government of all level have

been involved in controlling

ASF since August 2018

Political commitment

3.2. After the first detection of ASF in Vietnam

Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of MARD chaired a national

video conference with all ministries and provinces to request for application of all

necessary measures to control and stop spreading ASF in Vietnam

LEADING BY PRIME MINISTER

Prime Minister visited and lead control activities at infected areas

Deputy Prime Minister frequently chair the national video conferences

with all provinces for discussion of prevention and control of ASF

LEADING BY DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Exercises on the detection of ASF and application of control measures in

December 2018

Weekly

organize the

ministerial

meeting to

update and

discuss

control

measures

National meetings to

review the National

Action Plan

3.2. SUMMARY OF CURRENT CONTROL MEASURES

1. Strongly and timely leading by the highest level of the

Government and ministries

2. Early detection, culling, disinfection and compensation

• Any sick pigs or suspected pigs are sampled and tested for ASF. If

positive, declared immediately infected communes to apply strict

control measures

• For small farms and households: Culling all pigs of infected farms;

neibouring farms without any suspect pigs are not culled, but they

are under closed monitoring until the outbreak is resolved.

• For big farms with many separated pig pens: Culled only all pigs of

infected pigpen; pigs in other pigpens can be kept with close

monitor or slaughtered for local consumption within infected areas.

• Disinfection is applied to entire the infected and surrounding areas

• Compensation according to Degree 02, Decision 793/QĐ-TTg

SUMMARY OF CURRENT CONTROL MEASURES

3. Movement control

•Strictly movement control of pig and pig products which need to be

tested and negative with ASF.

•Banning movement of pigs and pigs products from and into Vietnam

4. Biosecurity application and re-stock

•All big farms have to apply strict biosecurity measures and

frequently cleaning and disinfection of all risk factors

•Re-stock only after the outbreaks are resolved for at least 30 days;

and sentinel pigs (10% of capacity) are stocked for another 30 days;

test for negative with ASF before fully re-stock

5. Risk communication and public awareness

6. Information sharing and international collaboration

•Reported to OIE, FAO; work with FAO and OIE (EMC mission)

•Frequently communicate with FAO Vietnam for sharing

information, outbreak investigation, etc.…

•Collaborate with other countries (such as support from the U.S

government, Japan, etc.)

III. LESSONS LEARNT• Risks (before the disease occurred):

• Sharing borders is extremely difficult to manage the risk of ASF

• Travel with infected pork; illegal movement of pigs and pork products

• Risk after the disease occurred:

• Improper culling infected pigs; backyard production, low biosecurity (20%)

• Panic selling pigs and pork products; not good movement control (10%)

• Improper disinfection (20%)

• Transportation, vehicle, people (30%)

• Swill feeding (10-20%)

• Control:

• Strong commitment of all political and technical agencies; Strong

collaboration from farmers, consumers, etc.

• Compensation need to be flexible and updated frequently

• Biosecurity and frequently disinfection first and follow by cleaning

• Transparency and close collaboration with other countries, inter. Community

• Disease free compartment, zones?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH