Seoul, Jan 17 || South Korea on Saturday confirmed its first case of African swine fever (ASF) in about two months, prompting authorities to cull thousands of pigs and issue a standstill order to prevent the virus from spreading.
According to the provincial government, the outbreak was detected at a farm in Gangneung, about 170 kilometres east of Seoul in Gangwon Province, news agency reported.
Authorities said 29 of 32 pigs that died at the facility on Friday tested positive for the virus, which is fatal to pigs but harmless to humans.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has ordered emergency containment measures, including restricting access to the site and culling operations, after receiving a report on the new case.
Kim also stressed the need for a thorough epidemiological investigation to determine the cause of the outbreak.
It is the first confirmed case in the country since November, when an outbreak was reported in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province.