Swine farms in outlying Kinmen are subject to increased monitoring following the discovery of ASF-infected pigs in the county’s Lieyu Township. (Courtesy of COA)
 

Taiwan has strengthened measures for preventing the spread of African swine fever in outlying Kinmen County, and the country as a whole remains on high alert, according to the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture Feb. 5.
 
The additional actions follow the discovery of pigs washed ashore in the county’s Lieyu Township that tested positive for the disease, raising the total cases reported by Kinmen County Government to 11.
 
According to KCG, all equipment, staffers and vehicles that came into contact with the infected pigs have undergone sterilization, while all hog farms in Leiyu are now being monitored. In accordance with Article 28 of the Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Disease, all pork products from the township are forbidden from export to elsewhere in Kinmen and Taiwan effective immediately, the county government said, adding that violators will be fined up to NT$1 million (US$33,340).
 
The COA’s Central Emergency Operation Center under the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine said the government is continuing to implement cross-agency reaction measures and strict border inspections to keep the country ASF free while protecting local hog farmers. Other steps taken include boosting biosecurity at piggeries around Taiwan, tightening inspections for all luggage and imported parcels from high-risk areas, and utilizing GPS tracking devices for any transportation of live pigs and pork products, the center added.
 
According to the COA, passengers caught illegally bringing meat products into Taiwan from countries or territories classified by the World Organization for Animal Health as ASF affected within the past three years—namely Cambodia, China, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, North Korea, South Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines—will be fined NT$200,000 and NT$1 million for first-time and repeat offenses, respectively.
 
Citing BAPHIQ statistics, the COA said a total of 735 fines for first-time violations have been issued since Dec. 18, 2018, comprising 629 items from China and 61 from Vietnam. (YCH-E)