中國查明豬瘟病因 警告可能擴散(China Identifies Pig Disease, Warns it Could Spread)

中國農業部說，它已查明4月下旬以來在廣東省致使至少300頭豬死亡的豬瘟病因。

農業部星期四說，這些豬染上了豬藍耳病變異病毒，并警告說，這種病在炎熱的夏季有可能擴散。它說，這種疾病不會感染人類。農業部說，由于中國養豬業零星分散，很多豬在小型養豬場或者由農民個人飼養，因此很難確定疫情范圍。

中國政府表示將加快生產針對這種豬瘟的疫苗并把疫苗分發給疫區的農民。中國國家媒體說，廣東部份地區的居民因為害怕吃帶病的肉，已不再購買豬肉。

China's agriculture ministry says it has identified an animal disease that has killed at least 300 pigs in the southern province of Guangdong since late April.

The ministry said Thursday the hogs were infected with a strain of blue-eared pig disease, and warned the illness could spread during hotter summer weather. It says the disease does not affect humans. The agriculture ministry says it is difficult to determine the prevalence of the disease because China's pig industry is fragmented, with many hogs raised on small farms or by individual farmers.

The Chinese government says it will speed up production of a new vaccine for the pig disease and distribute it to farmers in affected areas. Chinese state media say people in parts of Guangdong have stopped buying pork for fear of eating tainted meat.