Aviation sector tightens controls against SAT1 foot-and-mouth disease virus
VOV.VN -The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has instructed airports and aviation units to tighten controls against the SAT1 serotype of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) to prevent the virus from entering Vietnam by air.
According to the CAAV, foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious disease affecting livestock such as buffaloes, cattle, pigs, goats and sheep. The virus has seven serotypes: A, O, C, Asia1, SAT1, SAT2 and SAT3.
Vietnam has previously recorded serotypes O, A and Asia1, with serotype O currently the most widespread in the country.
The SAT1 strain, historically found mainly in Africa, is now spreading to other regions. Since March 2025, the strain has been detected in Iraq and several countries in the Middle East and West Asia.
In early April 2026, China reported its first SAT1 outbreak, with 219 cases found in cattle herds in Gansu and Xinjiang provinces.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment warned that although Vietnam has not recorded the SAT1 serotype, the risk of the strain entering the country remains high, particularly through the illegal transport and trade of animals across borders.
The ministry also said foot-and-mouth disease vaccines currently licensed in Vietnam are effective only against serotypes O, A and Asia1, and do not protect against SAT1.
Relevant agencies warned that if the SAT1 strain enters Vietnam, it could trigger a major outbreak and cause serious damage to the livestock sector, particularly buffalo and cattle herds.
In response, the CAAV instructed airports and aviation units to tighten inspections and strengthen disease prevention measures nationwide.
The agency also called for closer coordination with ministries, agencies and local authorities to promptly detect and handle the illegal transport and trade of animals and animal products without clear origin or quarantine certification, in an effort to prevent the virus from entering Vietnam by air.
Vietnam to produce foot-and-mouth disease vaccines next year
Next year, Vietnam expects to produce and provide a sufficient supply of vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease, an infectious and sometime fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle and pigs, as heard at a conference in Hanoi on December 18.
