Fourteen African Swine Fever Cases This Year... "Possible Introduction via Illegal Livestock Products"

Three Additional Cases Confirmed in Jeongeup, Gimcheon, and Hongseong on February 12
ASF Viral Genes Detected in Illegal Livestock Products
"ASF Outbreak Risk Expected to Rise Around the Lunar New Year Holiday"

Outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) are spreading. Three additional cases were confirmed the previous day in Jeongeup, Gimcheon, and Hongseong, bringing the total number of cases to 14 so far this year since the first outbreak in Gangneung on January 16. The government has confirmed the possibility that ASF may have been introduced through illegal livestock products and has decided to strengthen quarantine measures, including launching joint crackdowns on illegal livestock products.

The Central Accident Management Headquarters for ASF (Central Headquarters) announced on February 13 that it will implement quarantine measures to prevent further spread, based on the current ASF outbreak situation and the interim results of the epidemiological investigation.

The Asia Business Daily database

An official from the Central Headquarters said, "This year, ASF is occurring sporadically, mainly in regions where it had not occurred before, such as South Chungcheong Province, North Jeolla Province, South Jeolla Province, and South Gyeongsang Province," adding, "Accordingly, the Central Headquarters is implementing quarantine measures to prevent additional ASF outbreaks, including culling and disinfection at affected farms, movement restrictions for farms in quarantine zones and those epidemiologically linked, and surveillance and testing."

According to viral genetic analysis results for 10 farms where ASF has occurred so far this year, the same genotype (IGR-II) as the virus derived from wild boars in Korea was detected at Farm No. 2 in Pocheon, while a different genotype (IGR-I) was identified at Farm No. 8.

At the farms affected by this ASF outbreak, unlike in the past (2019 to 2025) when death reports mainly involved sows, there have been more death reports mainly involving piglets this time. The Central Headquarters considers the virus to be highly pathogenic, the same as previous ASF cases, given that antibody tests for pigs raised together at the affected farms were all negative and that acute symptoms such as sudden death were observed.

The interim results of the epidemiological investigation have confirmed the possibility that ASF may have been introduced through illegal livestock products. From January 26 to February 6, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety cracked down on the distribution and sale of illegally imported livestock products at 53 foreign food stores nationwide and detected four types of unreported livestock products (processed pork products) at one store. ASF viral genes were found in three of these four products. In response, the Central Headquarters plans to continue conducting joint crackdowns on illegal livestock products together with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and other relevant ministries to block the spread of ASF.

In addition, the government plans to first complete necropsy testing at 150 seed pig farms and 271 breeding-specialized farms nationwide, and then expand testing to approximately 4,800 general pig farms, with the goal of completing all testing by February 28. Livestock transport vehicles entering farm premises will also be included in this round of testing.

The surveillance and testing system using private testing institutions will also be strengthened. ASF testing will be conducted on pigs from 1,000 farms shipped to 69 pig slaughterhouses nationwide, and a system will be established for continuous surveillance and testing of diagnostic samples submitted to private testing institutions. This system will then be expanded in stages.

Special inspections of quarantine management practices will be carried out in cities and counties where outbreaks have occurred and in cities and counties with large-scale pig farming operations. The inspections will examine farm-level biosecurity management, including the installation and operation of enhanced quarantine facilities and compliance with two-stage disinfection and quarantine rules (including administrative orders), as well as whether city and county governments are properly operating hub disinfection facilities, with the aim of blocking any possibility of ASF spread.

Jeonghun Park, policy chief for food and grain at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "The risk of ASF outbreaks is expected to increase around the Lunar New Year holiday, so livestock farms and workers at livestock-related facilities nationwide must strictly comply with quarantine rules, such as disinfecting visitors and vehicles and prohibiting entry by outsiders, and the general public is asked not to visit livestock farms." He added, "Based on the results of the epidemiological investigation, we plan to implement additional measures such as quarantine inspections and crackdowns on illegal livestock products to block further spread, so we ask livestock farmers, relevant institutions, and workers to actively cooperate."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.