African swine fever outbreak crosses Han River as third case reported

The government confirmed the third case of African swine fever on Monday, this time at a pig farm in Gimpo, Gyeonggi.

The farm, which has 1,800 pigs in total, had reported four female pigs exhibiting symptoms of the deadly disease such as miscarriages and loss of appetite earlier that day. The site is just 13.7 kilometers away (8.5 miles) from the outbreak site in Paju, but, crucially, on the other side of the Han River.

The government had conducted emergency quarantine measures such as disinfection and a lockdown earlier in the day after suspicions were first raised.

The confirmation is the third case in a week, raising concerns that the contagious virus is spreading across the country.

BY CHAE YUN-HWAN [chae.yunhwan@joongang.co.kr]