African Swine Fever Re-emerges in Vietnam's Nghe An Province, Hitting Smallholders

African Swine Fever (ASF) has re-emerged in Vietnam's central Nghe An Province, causing significant economic losses for many pig farmers. The current weather conditions, including seasonal transitions, heavy rains, and floods, are increasing the risk of the disease spreading further. According to statistics from the Nghe An Department of Livestock and Veterinary Affairs, 30 outbreaks of ASF have been recorded in the province since the beginning of the year. A total of over 7,300 pigs, weighing 442,680 kg, have been culled. The outbreaks have primarily occurred in small, individual farming households in mountainous areas. Localities such as Chau Tien, Quy Chau, Nga My, Tuong Duong, Nghia Dong, and Luong Minh have reported a high number of pig deaths. Mr. Tran Vo Ba, Deputy Director of the Nghe An Department of Livestock and Veterinary Affairs, expressed concern that the seasonal transition and flood events are elevating the risk of disease spread among livestock, particularly ASF. He also noted that small-scale, dispersed farming practices, and in some cases free-range farming in mountainous regions, pose significant challenges to disease prevention and control. Many households that had just recovered from ASF outbreaks are rushing to restock their farms, even as the pathogen may still be present in the surrounding environment, thus increasing the risk of reinfection.