APHIS: African swine flu detected in Haiti

On September 20, the chief veterinary officer in Haiti reported a case of African swine fever (ASF) to the World Organisation for Animal Health, the Agriculture Department Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced Tuesday.

The sample was collected from a pig in a province bordering the Dominican Republic and was tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories through a cooperative testing program.

The Dominican Republic and Haiti are both on the island of Hispaniola. ASF had previously been detected in the Dominican Republic.

“While unfortunate, this detection is not unexpected due to the recent cases of ASF in the Dominican Republic. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is committed to assisting both Haiti and the Dominican Republic in dealing with ASF and continues to consult with animal health officials in both countries to support response and mitigation measures,” APHIS said in a news release.

“APHIS has numerous interlocking safeguards in place to prevent ASF from entering the United States. Pork and pork products from the Haiti and the Dominican Republic are prohibited entry to the United States as a result of existing classical swine fever restrictions. After ASF was detected in the Dominican Republic, APHIS increased surveillance and safeguards in U.S. territories. These safeguards will also help prevent the spread of ASF to the United States from Haiti,” APHIS added.

–The Hagstrom Report