Swine fever contained, minister says

China has contained the spread of African swine fever, with the number of new outbreaks slowing this year, according to Han Changfu, minister of agriculture and rural affairs.

Since the highly contagious disease was first detected in August in Liaoning province, 119 cases affecting domestic pigs and three involving wild boars have been confirmed in 30 provincial-level regions, he said at the International Symposium on Prevention and Control of African Swine Fever held in Beijing this week.

As of Tuesday, quarantines had been lifted in 108 disease-stricken areas, he said, adding that the number of new cases in each of the first three months of this year was held to single digits, signifying a slowdown.