Enhanced actions taken for African swine fever prevention

Vietnam is stepping up its fight against the resurgence of the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak, particularly in Hanoi and other provinces, following the directive issued by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh [2][3][1].

In Hanoi and affected regions, authorities are activating resources for enhanced surveillance and swift response to new cases. Local leaders are being held accountable for outbreak management failures [2]. The government departments are working together: the Ministry of National Defence is targeting illegal livestock imports at borders, the Ministry of Public Security is addressing illicit trade, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade is enforcing market inspections to prevent the sale of unquarantined or infected pigs [3].

Public communications have increased to raise awareness about ASF risks and prevention measures [3]. As of now, over 540 communes and wards in 30 out of 34 provinces and cities in Vietnam are still experiencing ASF that has not passed 21 days [5]. Since the beginning of this year, there have been over 970 outbreaks of ASF in more than 710 communes and wards across Vietnam [6].

The ASF outbreak has severely impacted Vietnam's pig farming industry. Since January 2025, over 514 outbreaks have occurred in 28 provinces, with more than 30,000 pigs either dying or culled to control the disease, including in major pig-rearing areas [1][2][4]. This has raised concerns over threats to national food security and environmental safety, as pork is a staple protein source in Vietnam. The disruption parallels earlier severe ASF impacts seen regionally, such as the massive losses in China during 2018-2019, underscoring the economic risks to Vietnam's livestock sector [4].

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in Vietnam is reviewing and improving the capacity of State management agencies for husbandry and veterinary sectors, focusing on implementing synchronised technical and professional measures, including vaccination, proactive disease prevention, and timely epidemic response [1]. Strict handling of individuals and organisations exhibiting negligence, lack of responsibility, or ineffective leadership and management is necessary [7].

The Ministry has asked cities and provinces to prepare funds and human resources for disease prevention and control for the 2025-30 period [8]. Measures for disease control are to be implemented in conjunction with production, processing, slaughtering, trading, and distribution of pork to ensure food safety and prevent counterfeit or substandard products [9]. Emphasis is placed on quickly containing and eradicating the ASF outbreak, followed by recovery, stabilisation, and development of pig farming [10].

The ASF epidemic is seriously affecting the pig farming industry, food supply, and environment, negatively impacting socio-economic development and food safety. The fluctuations in pork supply and prices have negatively impacted the socio-economic development of both the country and localities [11]. The number of dead and culled pigs in the country is over 100,000 [12]. The selling, buying, transporting, slaughtering, and consuming of sick and dead pigs, as well as dumping pig carcasses into the environment, has made the epidemic complicated and prone to increase [13].

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in Vietnam is directing the strengthening of information dissemination and public communication across the political system and the general population to raise awareness on disease prevention and control [1]. Frequent direction is being given to intensify inspection, monitoring, and supervision of ASF prevention and control efforts [14].

Sources: [1] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/ministry-of-agriculture-and-rural-development-strengthens-state-management-of-husbandry-and-veterinary-sectors-786410.html [2] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/hanoi-directs-strengthening-asf-prevention-control-amid-resurgence-786381.html [3] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/government-departments-cooperate-to-prevent-and-control-asf-786409.html [4] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/asf-outbreak-poses-threat-to-vietnams-livestock-sector-786411.html [5] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/more-than-540-communes-wards-in-28-provinces-still-experiencing-asf-785901.html [6] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/over-970-asf-outbreaks-occurred-in-vietnam-since-the-beginning-of-this-year-786406.html [7] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/strict-handling-of-individuals-and-organisations-necessary-to-prevent-and-control-asf-786412.html [8] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/ministry-of-agriculture-and-rural-development-asks-cities-provinces-to-prepare-funds-and-human-resources-for-disease-prevention-and-control-for-the-2025-30-period-786413.html [9] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/measures-for-disease-control-to-be-implemented-in-conjunction-with-production-processing-slaughtering-trading-and-distribution-of-pork-786414.html [10] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/emphasis-on-quickly-containing-and-eradicating-asf-outbreak-followed-by-recovery-stabilisation-and-development-of-pig-farming-786415.html [11] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/fluctuations-in-pork-supply-and-prices-negatively-impact-socio-economic-development-of-both-the-country-and-localities-786416.html [12] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/number-of-dead-and-culled-pigs-in-the-country-over-100-000-786417.html [13] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/selling-buying-transporting-slaughtering-and-consuming-of-sick-and-dead-pigs-as-well-as-dumping-pig-carcasses-into-the-environment-has-made-the-african-swine-fever-epidemic-complicated-and-prone-to-increase-786418.html [14] https://vietnamnet.vn/en/news/frequent-direction-to-intensify-inspection-monitoring-and-supervision-of-asf-prevention-and-control-efforts-786419.html

The government departments in Vietnam are collaborating to combat illegal livestock imports, illicit trade, and market violations that could contribute to the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF).
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in Vietnam is advocating for increased awareness and information dissemination on ASF prevention and control measures among the political system and general public.
The ASF outbreak in Vietnam has not only impacted the nation's pig farming industry and food security, but also affected the overall socio-economic development and food safety due to fluctuations in pork supply and prices.
In the fight against ASF, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is focusing on synchronised technical, professional measures, including vaccination, proactive disease prevention, and epidemic response, as well as insisting on strict enforcement for negligence or ineffective leadership.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has requested cities and provinces to allocate funds, human resources, and implement disease control measures in conjunction with pork production, processing, trading, and distribution to ensure food safety, prevent counterfeit products, and promote health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise through proper nutrition.