China reports new African swine fever case in Tianjin

BEIJING -- China has confirmed a new outbreak of African swine fever in Tianjin, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Friday.

A total 292 of 639 pigs from a farm in Jizhou District in Tianjin were confirmed as affected, with 189 dead, according to a China Animal Disease Control Center report.

Local authorities have initiated an emergency response to block, cull and disinfect the affected pigs.

The outbreak is now under control.

African swine fever is a highly contagious, viral disease that infects pigs but not humans or other animals.

China reported its first case of the disease in August in Liaoning Province. Later outbreaks were reported in several other provincial regions.