Case of African swine fever found at pig farm in South Korea

A case of African swine fever has been discovered on a farm containing about 1,500 animals in South Korea's northeastern Hongcheong district, REUTERS reported, citing the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

The ministry said all animals on the farm have been culled to contain the spread of the pathogen, and an investigation should be launched at other pig farms in the region. The authorities issued an order to suspend the activities of all pig farms and other livestock-related facilities until Monday.

African swine fever is harmless to humans but often fatal to pigs, resulting in financial losses for farmers. The virus originated in Africa and then spread to Europe and Asia and killed hundreds of millions of pigs around the world.

The latest outbreak marks the first case in more than seven months.