Foot and mouth disease outbreak detected in Thanh Hoa

The Sub-Department of Animal Health Region III (Department of Animal Health) has just announced the results of testing pig blood and epithelium samples at the farm of Nguyen Thi Bang's family in Zone 4, Thach Binh commune, Thach Thanh district, Thanh Hoa province. The results showed that foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype O was detected.

Upon receiving the results, Thanh Hoa Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health coordinated with local authorities and livestock owners to destroy 30 pigs from five households, including four piglets that were destroyed earlier. The total loss is estimated at more than 600 kg in the area where the epidemic was detected.

According to the reporter of Vietnam Agriculture News, the sick pigs were buried in holes dug to the standard size and disinfected with lime powder and special medicine. The provincial Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health also disinfected the entire area in neighboring households to avoid any potential spread of foot and mouth disease to healthy pigs.

Thanh Hoa Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, together with local authorities, has provided 240 liters of chemicals, 60 sets of protective clothing, 30 pairs of boots, 1.000 doses of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine, 400 kg of lime, and 12 liters of chemicals to effectively perform disease prevention and control activities at this outbreak.

The local government has set up two checkpoints and one mobile team to strictly control the transportation and trade of livestock and livestock products. The assigned team will organize livestock screening, develop a plan to execute vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease and thoroughly surround the epidemic area from February 23, 2025. The initial strategy is to vaccinate cattle and buffalo simultaneously in the whole commune. As for pigs, vaccination will start from the buffer zone surrounding the epidemic area.

Thanh Hoa Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health has currently sent its leaders and five officers directly to the epidemic area to support Thach Thanh district in countering the epidemic. The authorities are closely monitoring the situation in Thach Binh commune and the entire Thach Thanh district to promptly organize epidemic prevention and control measures according to regulations.

Previously, from February 18 to 22, 2025, there was a situation of unusually sick pigs in Zone 4, Thach Binh Commune. As for the recorded symptoms, pigs had blisters on the edges of the hoof, between the toes; a slightly wobbly walk, reduced appetite, and mild fever. They were therefore suspected of being infected with foot and mouth disease.

Sick pigs appeared in small-scale farms, with numbers ranging from 4 to 15 per farm. The pigs were kept in captivity and had not been vaccinated. After detecting signs of infection in the pigs, farmers arbitrarily bought medicine to treat the pigs, only at a later time did they report to the local authorities.

Faced with the situation, the People's Committee of Thach Thanh district has issued an urgent document to communes and towns to implement measures to prevent foot-and-mouth disease, concentrate forces to quickly organize foot-and-mouth disease vaccination using the “from outside to inside” approach from February 25, 2025.

Communes bordering Thach Binh must complete vaccination for livestock and poultry before March 2, 2025. It is strictly forbidden to slaughter, buy, sell, or dump diseased animals into the environment. People must not transport pigs out of Zone 4. Barns and surrounding areas need to be disinfected in accordance with appropriate procedures. Local authorities must closely monitor and supervise the vaccination process. The Chairman of the District People's Committee will hold the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune or town responsible if any unit detects an epidemic late, does not report, or does not take timely measures.

Dang Truong Giang, Head of the Disease Management Department, Thanh Hoa Sub-Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, said, “If pigs are confirmed positive for foot-and-mouth disease, they must be destroyed immediately. The authorities will coordinate with households to carry out disinfection spraying once a day for households with infected pigs and once every two days for neighboring areas. The trading, slaughtering, and transportation of livestock out of the area will be temporarily prohibited to prevent the spread of pathogens. Relevant units will develop a plan to contain the epidemic".