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African swine fever spreading in the Dominican Republic

African swine fever continues to spread in the Dominican Republic.  According to the country’s department of ag the disease has been detected in 11 of the country’s 32 provinces, and in an effort to stop the spread of the virus, approximately 15,000 pigs have been euthanized.  According to the Swine Health Information Center, there have also been increases in pig mortality reported in Ansa a Pitres, a small Haitian town near the border with the Dominican Republic. 

This is the first time the disease has been in the Western Hemisphere in more than 40 years.  The USDA has said it is committed to assisting the Dominican Republic in dealing with the disease and will continue to help with testing support and response and mitigation efforts.