Taiwan is to apply for recognition as a region free of classical swine fever, as it has now been a full year since vaccinations have been administered, the Ministry of Agriculture said today.
The last case of classical swine fever in Taiwan was detected in Changhua County in 2005, the ministry said in a news release.
From 2021 to 2022, agricultural authorities implemented a mass vaccination program in conjunction with environmental risk monitoring and information sessions with producers, the ministry said.
Photo: Taipei Times
Vaccinations ended in July last year, followed up by continued monitoring, it added.
Now that it has been a year since vaccinations ended, the ministry said it would apply with the World Organisation for Animal Health to be recognized as free of classical swine fever.
If the application is approved, Taiwan is to be the only country or region in Asia to be declared free of all three major swine-borne diseases: foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever and African swine fever.
Recognition would save on personnel and vaccination costs, as well as losses resulting from vaccination side effects, the ministry said.
It would not only boost the competitiveness of Taiwan’s pork and swine industry, but show the success of the nation’s animal health initiatives, it added.
The ministry vowed to continue talks with export markets to aid with the expansion and profitability of the industry.
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