Seven pigs have died and nearly 60 others have become ill from Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) in Nghia Trung Commune, Tu Nghia District, the first locality affected by the disease, said director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Truong Quang Viet.

"The alarming thing is farmers have quickly sold these diseased pigs at low prices," he said.

The disease has already killed six pigs and infected nearly 400 others across seven communes in Da Nang’s districts of Hoa Vang and Cam Le, according to the Animal Health Department.

PRRS killed 24 more pigs and infected more than 750 others in Quang Nam Province, bringing the death toll since June to about 900 and the number of pigs infected to nearly 19,000.

In a seminar yesterday in Quang Ngai, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Bui Ba Bong warned that the disease may strike other coastal provinces and the Central Highlands.

Experts said that the disease could not be transmitted to humans.

Bird flu update

Meanwhile, in the northern province of Dien Bien, local authorities stepped up their efforts to curb bird flu by slaughtering nearly 700 H5N1-virus-infected ducks in the districts of Thanh Yen, Noong Het and Sam Mun.

The northern province of Bac Giang was declared bird flu-free on Thursday, shortening the list of disease-stricken provinces to five. Thai Binh, Ca Mau and Ninh Binh are expected to be removed from the list soon