Additional outbreaks of African swine fever on the horizon… All-out effort to prevent spread / KB...

[Anchor] With the first outbreak of African swine fever this year in Gangneung, quarantine authorities are focusing on preventing its spread. Fortunately, there have been no additional outbreaks yet. Quarantine authorities have launched an epidemiological investigation to determine the route of entry of the virus, including possible links to wild boars. Reporter Noh Ji-young reports. [Report] This is a pig farm in Gangneung where African swine fever broke out. Culling operations have been ongoing for three days. The total number of pigs is approximately 20,000. This is the second-largest outbreak of African swine fever on a single farm. Ten pig farms within a 10-kilometer radius of the farm have revealed no unusual findings. Fed, transport, and manure transport vehicles that entered and exited the farm have also been inspected. The confirmed cases were traced to farms in five cities and counties: Samcheok, Pyeongchang, Hoengseong, Chuncheon, and Wonju. [Kim Yeon-ha/Gangwon Province Livestock Disease Team Leader: "The first detailed tests on pig farm 16 and vehicle 7 were all negative, and a second detailed test is scheduled for January 24th."] Efforts to identify the source of the virus's inflow are also expanding. An eight-person search team has been deployed to investigate a possible link to wild boars. [Hwang Nam-gyu/Gangneung City Environmental Division Director: "We are conducting a search for carcasses near farms, keeping in mind the possibility of transmission through contact with wild boars. If a carcass is found, blood samples will be immediately sent to a specialized institution for testing."] Quarantine authorities are inspecting livestock fences and managing the surrounding burial sites to prevent the spread of African swine fever. Furthermore, four control posts have been set up at farms near outbreak sites, restricting entry and exit of vehicles and ensuring disinfection. Additionally, we plan to conduct telephone monitoring of 15 pig farms in the Gangneung area to identify any abnormalities, including mortality. This is Noh Ji-young from KBS News. Photographer: Kim Jung-yong Copyright ⓒ KBS. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution, and use (including AI learning) are prohibited.