Dominican Republic activates contingency plan due to African swine fever outbreak affecting 11 provinces

(CNN Spanish) – Brigades from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Dominican Republic, assisted by the military and rescuers from the Emergency Operations Center, reported on Monday that they established sanitary fences on farms affected by African swine fever, which has been detected in 11 of the 32 provinces of the country. .

The authorities indicated that the fence seeks to prevent the movement of animals, sanitize vehicles and try to contain the outbreak, while they began the killing of specimens infected with the disease.

In Greater Santo Domingo, specifically in Hato Nuevo, Los Alcarrizos and Los Ríos, new outbreaks were detected this Tuesday, according to agricultural authorities.

The Minister of Agriculture, Limber Cruz, reported that they are increasing the equipment to detect and later eradicate the outbreak.

The losses to pig farmers have been substantial. The Asociación Agropecuaria la Unión in Los Alcarrizos, which groups 40 producers, reported this Tuesday that more than 1,500 pigs have died from the virus.

“It’s running out,” said Frank Mosquea, a pig farmer. Mosquea has lost at least 38 pigs, and 13 of them were pregnant from the virus.

The government assured that to alleviate the economic crisis it will pay the breeders the current market price of the pigs that are slaughtered.

Until Sunday, the intervention in some farms yielded a balance of at least 14,000 contaminated pigs, according to the official report.

Among the provinces are Sánchez Ramírez, Santiago, Hermanas Mirabal, La Vega, Montecristi, Elías Piña, San Juan and the National District. Sanitary control brigades are heading towards the demarcations to intervene the backyard hatcheries, since they are susceptible to contracting the disease.

The United States Department of Agriculture confirmed African swine fever in samples of pigs from the Caribbean country on July 28.

Although it is not a threat to human health, the institution for the moment prohibited the entry of pork and pork products from the Caribbean country.

What is African swine fever?

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) explains that African swine fever is caused by a virus that affects domestic and wild pigs. African swine fever does not pose a risk to human health.

It is transmitted in a highly contagious way directly from pig to pig, or through contaminated materials such as agricultural equipment or meat scraps, according to the OIE.