Sawt Falasteen - Taiwan detects first cases of swine fever

The illness -- which does not affect humans -- is highly contagious and fatal for pigs, and an outbreak is potentially devastating for the pork industry, experts say.

"No abnormalities have been observed (elsewhere) so far," Deputy Agriculture Minister Tu Wen-jane told a news conference in the central city of Taichung where the infections were detected.

Samples of dead pigs at a farm in Wuqi district tested positive for swine fever this month and 195 pigs have been culled, the ministry said Wednesday.

A three-kilometre (1.9 miles) "control zone" has been set up to prevent the infection from spreading while the transport and slaughter of pigs across the island is banned for five days, the statement said.

Taiwan has around five million pigs and the pork industry generates about NT$70 billion (US$2.3 billion) a year, official data show.

President Lai Ching-te has urged the public to "not panic" and called on local governments, livestock associations and pig farmers to be "highly vigilant".

"If any abnormal deaths or suspected animal infections are found among pigs, please immediately report them to the local animal quarantine authorities," Lai said in a Facebook post.

K.Hassan--SF-PST