Recently, the Lao News Agency reported that African swine fever has spread to 7 provinces and 91 districts, resulting in a cumulative loss of 14,002 pigs nationwide; the government has imposed a complete ban on the inter-provincial and inter-district transport of live pigs and pork products, and has suspended the import of live pigs from abroad.
On the same day, Vietnam’s People’s Daily reported that a new outbreak site had been identified in Xie Lu Township, Thai Nguyen Province, while in the southern province of Ca Mau, a total of 16 outbreaks have been reported so far this year, affecting 88 pig farms.
Both Laos and Vietnam have recently reported outbreaks of African swine fever. Pig farms in Yunnan, Guangxi, and other regions should enhance their biosecurity measures and ensure proper disinfection, quarantine, and transportation management.
African Swine Fever Spreads to 7 Provinces and 91 Districts in Laos; Outbreaks Persist in Northern and Southern Vietnam
On September 24, 2026, Bouhong Kanha, Director-General of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries in Laos, informed the media that the African swine fever outbreak has now spread to 7 provinces and 91 districts nationwide. Specifically, outbreaks have been reported in Phongsali Province, Sayaboury Province, Xaisomboun Province, Huaphan Province, Vientiane City, Oudomxay Province, and Luang Prabang Province.
Outbreak Data:
- Total number of pigs that have died: 14,002
- Small-scale backyard farming: 11,086, accounting for 79.2%
- Commercial farms: 2,916, accounting for 20.8%
Of these:
- Died naturally after infection: 10,041
- Culled in accordance with technical guidelines to break the chain of transmission: 3,961
- Preliminary economic losses: approximately 58.8 billion kip or more
Bouhon Kanh said that, in the past, Party and government departments at all levels, as well as specialized livestock and fisheries agencies, have consistently prioritized and implemented various prevention and control measures, closely monitoring the outbreak to ensure early detection and response, and carrying out timely and effective prevention and control. However, African swine fever remains a major threat to the pig farming industry in Laos and throughout the region, as there are currently no effective vaccines or treatments.
Consequently, disease prevention efforts rely primarily on biosecurity measures and controls on animal movement. Through strict enforcement of these measures, the outbreak has been largely brought under control; the spread of the disease has slowed in northern provinces, while some central provinces and the southern region have yet to report any cases. These measures have had an impact on the economy and society, as well as on business operators and pig farmers.
In Vietnam, outbreaks have been reported in both the north and south. In the northern province of Thai Nguyen, a new outbreak site was identified on September 24 in Xie Lu Township; local authorities have implemented zoned control measures and carried out culling. In the southern province of Ca Mau, a cumulative total of 16 outbreaks have been reported since the beginning of this year, affecting 88 pig farms, with three additional outbreak sites still under monitoring. The tone of reports in the Vietnam People’s Daily no longer suggests “sporadic” outbreaks but rather indicates a situation that is “continuing to escalate.”
African Swine Fever Prevention and Control: Europe Must Be Vigilant, but Southeast Asia Is Closer and More Interconnected
Provinces in northern Laos with severe outbreaks, such as Phongsali and Oudomxay, border Pu’er and Xishuangbanna in China’s Yunnan Province, and there are no natural barriers along the border. Vietnam borders Guangxi and Yunnan; although Ca Mau Province is located in the south, Vietnam’s domestic live pig transportation network is interconnected, and the northern city of Thai Nguyen is only a few hundred kilometers from the Chinese border.
Even more cause for concern are the channels through which border residents travel. Border trade, family visits, and the informal movement of live pigs and pork products have long been prevalent in Laos and Vietnam. The African swine fever virus can survive for extended periods in frozen meat and the environment; a single pig transport vehicle that has not been thoroughly disinfected, or a single package of pork brought in by a border resident, could introduce the disease. The Bureau of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has also explicitly pointed out in its report on international epidemic trends that the pressure to prevent and control the disease remains high in border provinces such as Yunnan and Guangxi.
In short, this cannot be viewed as “someone else’s problem,” but rather as a risk that has already come to our doorstep. We must remain vigilant regarding the European front (an outbreak occurred in Finland in July, and Announcement No. 122 has already banned imports from Finland); the Southeast Asian front is currently even closer and involves more frequent exchanges.
On the same day, Vietnam’s People’s Daily reported that a new outbreak site had been identified in Xie Lu Township, Thai Nguyen Province, while in the southern province of Ca Mau, a total of 16 outbreaks have been reported so far this year, affecting 88 pig farms.
Both Laos and Vietnam have recently reported outbreaks of African swine fever. Pig farms in Yunnan, Guangxi, and other regions should enhance their biosecurity measures and ensure proper disinfection, quarantine, and transportation management.
African Swine Fever Spreads to 7 Provinces and 91 Districts in Laos; Outbreaks Persist in Northern and Southern Vietnam
On September 24, 2026, Bouhong Kanha, Director-General of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries in Laos, informed the media that the African swine fever outbreak has now spread to 7 provinces and 91 districts nationwide. Specifically, outbreaks have been reported in Phongsali Province, Sayaboury Province, Xaisomboun Province, Huaphan Province, Vientiane City, Oudomxay Province, and Luang Prabang Province.
Outbreak Data:
- Total number of pigs that have died: 14,002
- Small-scale backyard farming: 11,086, accounting for 79.2%
- Commercial farms: 2,916, accounting for 20.8%
Of these:
- Died naturally after infection: 10,041
- Culled in accordance with technical guidelines to break the chain of transmission: 3,961
- Preliminary economic losses: approximately 58.8 billion kip or more
Bouhon Kanh said that, in the past, Party and government departments at all levels, as well as specialized livestock and fisheries agencies, have consistently prioritized and implemented various prevention and control measures, closely monitoring the outbreak to ensure early detection and response, and carrying out timely and effective prevention and control. However, African swine fever remains a major threat to the pig farming industry in Laos and throughout the region, as there are currently no effective vaccines or treatments.
Consequently, disease prevention efforts rely primarily on biosecurity measures and controls on animal movement. Through strict enforcement of these measures, the outbreak has been largely brought under control; the spread of the disease has slowed in northern provinces, while some central provinces and the southern region have yet to report any cases. These measures have had an impact on the economy and society, as well as on business operators and pig farmers.
In Vietnam, outbreaks have been reported in both the north and south. In the northern province of Thai Nguyen, a new outbreak site was identified on September 24 in Xie Lu Township; local authorities have implemented zoned control measures and carried out culling. In the southern province of Ca Mau, a cumulative total of 16 outbreaks have been reported since the beginning of this year, affecting 88 pig farms, with three additional outbreak sites still under monitoring. The tone of reports in the Vietnam People’s Daily no longer suggests “sporadic” outbreaks but rather indicates a situation that is “continuing to escalate.”
African Swine Fever Prevention and Control: Europe Must Be Vigilant, but Southeast Asia Is Closer and More Interconnected
Provinces in northern Laos with severe outbreaks, such as Phongsali and Oudomxay, border Pu’er and Xishuangbanna in China’s Yunnan Province, and there are no natural barriers along the border. Vietnam borders Guangxi and Yunnan; although Ca Mau Province is located in the south, Vietnam’s domestic live pig transportation network is interconnected, and the northern city of Thai Nguyen is only a few hundred kilometers from the Chinese border.
Even more cause for concern are the channels through which border residents travel. Border trade, family visits, and the informal movement of live pigs and pork products have long been prevalent in Laos and Vietnam. The African swine fever virus can survive for extended periods in frozen meat and the environment; a single pig transport vehicle that has not been thoroughly disinfected, or a single package of pork brought in by a border resident, could introduce the disease. The Bureau of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has also explicitly pointed out in its report on international epidemic trends that the pressure to prevent and control the disease remains high in border provinces such as Yunnan and Guangxi.
In short, this cannot be viewed as “someone else’s problem,” but rather as a risk that has already come to our doorstep. We must remain vigilant regarding the European front (an outbreak occurred in Finland in July, and Announcement No. 122 has already banned imports from Finland); the Southeast Asian front is currently even closer and involves more frequent exchanges.
Livestock Farms in Border Provinces: Four Measures to Be Implemented Immediately
First, temporarily suspend the importation of livestock through border crossings. Farms in Yunnan and Guangxi should refrain from importing live hogs and piglets from neighboring regions for the time being. If restocking is absolutely necessary, use official channels, verify quarantine certificates and source information, and upon arrival, place the animals in a 21-day quarantine period using sentinel pigs before integrating them into the herd.
Second, pig transport vehicles and feed trucks pose the highest risk. It is common for a weak virus strain to first contaminate tire treads, leading to subsequent outbreaks among the pigs. Before entering the farm premises, vehicles must be thoroughly washed, disinfected, and dried; drivers must not exit the vehicle or enter production areas. These standard requirements must be enforced even more strictly given the pressure from border outbreaks.
Third, do not purchase low-priced vaccines or veterinary drugs of unknown origin. Smuggled vaccines can interfere with testing, and counterfeit veterinary drugs harm both pigs and humans. When purchasing medications, scan the traceability code and verify the approval number; wait for official approval before purchasing vaccines, and do not trust “internal channels.”
Fourth, report any abnormalities immediately. Do not dismiss symptoms such as low-grade fever, uneaten feed, pigs lying in corners, or recurring symptoms after injections as a common cold. Conduct antigen testing as early as possible, retest after one day, and collect both environmental and pig samples simultaneously. If any suspicious symptoms are detected, report them to the local veterinary authorities immediately—every day of delay increases the risk of transmission by one more batch.
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