The “blue ear disease” in pigs (scientifically known as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome - PRRS) that outbroke in Quang Nam Province several days ago has spread to its southern neibouring province of Quang Ngai, a sorce from the Animal Health Department said on Jyly 20, 2007.
As revealed by the province’s Animal Health Department, seven have died and some 60 others have been detected ill ill from Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) in Nghia Trung Commune, Tu Nghia District, the first locality in this central province affected by the disease.
Right after the disease was detected, a drastic measure was immediately taken in place by the provincial government in an urgent effort to put the pandemic under control “at any cost” as soon as possible. The Provincial People’s Committee Vice-chairman in his top urgent directive to the lelated localities ordered that all the animals detected caught with PRRS be gathered in no time for messing up, cracking down on the spread of the epidemic to other places.
One of the toughest challenge the local authorities face in the combat with the disease is the improper awareness of people, especially farmers and dealers. Some have ignored the warning from the local authorities to seek profit from the transportation and trading in diseased pigs. These wrongdoings has deteriorated the situation in the province.
Fines and strict punishments, therefore, have also been introduced by the local governemt to be imposed on anyone for their wrongdoings in either concealing the disease or trading and transporting the diseased pigs. All the markets are to be under close supervision, quarantine check points are set up in the sensitive places along the national highway and other important traffic roads.
A quick reaction team are scheduled to be established soon to deal with all issues arising during the compaign against the epidemic: to provide in time medicine, disinfectants and chemicals necessary to contain and control a certain place of the outbreak. 
Reportedly, PRRS killed 24 more pigs and infected more than 750 others in Quang Nam Province, driving the animal death toll since June to about 900 and the number of pigs infected to nearly 19,000. The disease has also killed six pigs and infected nearly 400 others across seven communes in Da Nang’s districts of Hoa Vang and Cam Le.
Earlier, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Bui Ba Bong warned in a seminar held in Quang Ngai that the disease may strike other coastal provinces and the Central Highlands.
Fortunately, PRRS could not be transmitted to humans.
Tri, Nguyen Minh
