Chinese authorities have reported that the spread of African swine fever (ASF) has slowed and is currently under control, although new outbreaks continue to occur daily.

There is no doubt that pork in China has been hit hard by the infectious virus: according to statistics provided by the China Global Television Network (CGTN), the number of pigs in China has plummeted, nearly seven percent since September 2018.

China responded to the outbreaks by declaring restrictions on certain zones of infection: an infected zone (or epicenter) with a radius of + 3 km; and a threatened area with a radius of + 10 km. Activities in these areas are limited, and certain steps are being taken from the moment the disease is detected until the day when viruses are no longer detected on the farm.

In addition to restrictive measures, such as selecting pigs from an infected farm and a lane for moving pigs to or from infected areas, support was also provided to affected farms and producers whose livelihoods were affected.

The latest CGTN report said that in the first quarter of 2019, there were much fewer cases recorded compared to the fourth quarter of 2018, and that authorities confirmed that the disease was “under control”.