Swine fever: alert in the region due to the outbreak of the disease in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of African swine fever (ASF) in that country after learning of the results of 389 samples taken from pigs raised on farms and backyards. The news comes to alert the health authorities and the pig industry in Argentina, where a strengthening of the entry controls of tourists in the country from the island is planned, as well as other destinations where the disease is present. .

Recall that in 2018, China, the world’s largest producer and country where the virus had the most impact, which led to a quest to replace its high consumption with other meats, reported to the world its first case. of African swine fever. Since then, more than 100 million pigs have been slaughtered in the country, causing the price of this meat to reach record highs in the country. And to mitigate this increase, Beijing sold part of its stock of frozen meat on the domestic market.

The news of the Dominican case was known yesterday after the laboratory of the Center for Animal Diseases of Plum Island (United States) discovered, after an inspection, the presence of African swine fever in samples taken from pigs of Sánchez Ramírez and Montecristi , two provinces of this country. According to information published by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, this fact has been corroborated by the Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the United States Department of Agriculture. United (USDA), which determined the presence of the virus. in a reduced population of breeding pigs in these populations.

This is the first appearance of the disease in the Americas since it arrived in China in 2018 and in Germany at the end of 2020. “The appearance of African swine fever in the Dominican Republic is a concern for the entire American continent because it is a disease which until the end of the 80s, the beginning of the 90s was not on the continent and for us that’s a big concern. I think that all the work that is being done in Senasa needs to be reinforced, which is working very well, but it is the appearance of a yellow alert ”, declared Juan Uccelli, pig consultant.

“The appearance of African swine fever in the Dominican Republic is a concern for the entire American continent because it is a disease which until the end of the 80s, the beginning of the 90s was not on the continent” ( Uccelli)

Argentina does not export any pork from this market, but there is a latent risk of entry of tourists from the island. “America was a continent free from the disease, every precaution was taken not to have it and everything was fine. Although it is an island, it can become a problem for everyone, it will be necessary to be very careful, “a government source told this outlet.

In this line, Uccelli added that to prevent the virus from entering Argentina, work must be done in agreement with other countries in the region.. “I believe it is necessary to work jointly between public and private organizations, especially in South America, to continue to keep the region free from this disease. It hit an island, but all the work needs to be stepped up, because it is a disease for which there is no vaccine. The Dominican Republic has not exported meat, but it will not be able to do so either, as happened in Germany, ”he exemplified.

Until 2016, the number of mother sows averaged between 77,000 and 82,000 head in the Dominican Republic. In addition, in 2015, they carried out vaccination campaigns after the outbreak of CSF outbreaks, which reduced the disease by 100% in border provinces. However, given the fragile health situation in Haiti (a neighboring country), they suggested strengthening health controls, according to local media. “In the provinces where the epidemic has been detected, there is a total population of around 15,000 pigs in Sánchez Ramírez and 4,600 in Montecristi,” the Animal’s Health website reported.

“It continues to wreak havoc in China and is progressing in Europe, which is not a minor problem, which is why it may change the conditions for marketing pork in the world, and in Argentina, which is launching into the Export business for several years. must continue to maintain a status, as it has done, free from all diseases that affect the pork trade. It is and it is very serious. We believe that we need to strengthen the work that Senasa is doing, which is very well done, but we need to strengthen it even more and work at the regional level, ”Uccelli said.

recommendations

De Senasa, meanwhile, recommend not entering pork or its derivatives without permission from the entity; neither pigs nor reproductive material are allowed without the corresponding health certification. “If there are people who were in countries where the disease exists, do not immediately come into contact with pigs in our country,” they advised. Although African swine fever does not pose a threat to human health, it can cause serious economic losses to the country’s production.

Although African swine fever does not pose a threat to human health, it can cause serious economic losses to the country’s production.

The arrival of ASF in the Dominican Republic means the leap to the American continent of the disease – where it ceased to be present 40 years ago. ASF is now already present on five continents. It has been detected as well in Europe, with many countries affected, such as Africa or Asia. In addition, in 2020, it reached Papua New Guinea, the first country in Oceania to be affected.

“The problem with the plague is that any human who visits a place where this disease is rife must take a lot of precautions when coming out of it because he can wear it on his hands, his clothes, his shoes”, specified the same government source.

Finally, he adds that care passes exclusively through human transit. “Due to tourism, if a lot of people go to Punta Cana on vacation, it can be a problem if they bring food that cannot be entered through customs and is smuggled in. We will surely start working on the case by doing an advertising campaign. Initially, it would be to increase controls at airports, ”he summarized.

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