Blue-ear disease declining
30 October 2007
Blue-ear disease is under control, according to a top government official, Reuters reported. The swine disease, which has caused a pork shortage and contributed to food-driven inflation, has been on the decline since it peaked in June, said Gao Hongbin, the vice minister of agriculture. China has been conducting a vaccination program and increased supervision on the transportation, trading and slaughtering of pigs to limit the disease's spread. As of October 25, the disease had infected 310,134 pigs, killing 81,030. Another 235,380 have been culled.