BEIJING — Taiwan and other countries in Asia are currently under high alert for African swine fever as the outbreak continues to rise in China.<br /><br />China continues to loosen rules amid the outbreak to ensure the supply of pork in the country ahead of the Lunar Year of the Pig, according to a Reuters report.<br /><br />African Swine Fever is caused by the DNA virus of the Asfarviridae family, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health.<br /><br />Symptoms include high fever, redness on the ears, abdomen and legs, and diarrhea. In serious cases, it can cause death within 6 to 13 days.<br /><br />The disease is spread through direct contact with infected pigs. It could also be spread through indirect contact if the pigs consume contaminated food waste.<br /><br />China has already reported more than 90 cases of African Swine Fever since August last year.<br /><br />The deadly virus could survive in processed pork for a few months. It could also survive for years in frozen pig carcasses, according to the Guardian.<br /><br />China previously banned the transport of pigs from outbreak regions, but continues to allow pigs from unaffected regions to be freely transported to other areas in the country.<br /><br />Beijing also banned the use of food waste and pig blood in the production of pig feed in September 2018.<br /><br />African Swine Fever is fatal for pigs but the disease does not harm humans.
