Due to negligence in prevention work, the disease has spread to Duc Phong commune, with 33 buffalos and cows infected. About 61 infected pigs from 10 households in the commune have been culled.

The development of the disease was very complicated, said Nguyen Minh Thu, head of the veterinary station in Mo Duc district, adding that surveillance and prevention work has not been carried out in a timely fashion in many communes due to local people’s negligence.

There was no strict control of quarantine, transport and slaughter of infected animals, said Mr Thu.

To cope with the situation, the district’s veterinary station has coordinated with local authorities to quarantine and disinfect high-risk communes in neighbouring areas. In addition, the station delivered 6,000 doses of vaccines to the affected communes and conducted the culling of 61 infected pigs.

As the disease broke out in many areas in the province, the Quang Ngai provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has approved a plan to provide 50,000 doses of  vaccines and 10,000 litres of disinfectants to 14 districts in the province. The provincial People’s Committee has instructed the veterinary service to mobilise veterinarians to work with affected localities aimed at stamping out the disease.