TOKYO — Japan detected another case of hog cholera virus infection on Friday at a park in central Japan after the country’s first case in decades was reported in September at a nearby pig farm.The Gifu prefectural government culled all 21 pigs kept at the Chikusan (livestock) center park after confirming earlier in the morning through tests that two of them were infected with what is also known as swine fever. The virus affects only pigs and wild boars with almost a 100 percent fatality rate.
Already 49 wild boars within the prefecture have been found to be infected with the virus, and two of them were found in the park in late September. But the pigs in the park had shown no signs of infection at the time, according to the prefecture.
The park said it will close until Nov. 25 due to disinfection and epidemic control work.
Farm minister Takamori Yoshikawa urged all prefectures in Japan to take measures to prevent wild boars from entering pig farms, deeming them to be the cause of the outbreak.
Eight Gifu pig farms near the affected park have been banned from shipping their pigs and their meat outside the area.
Following the hog cholera infection detection at a Gifu farm just 8 kilometers southeast of the park in September, Japan suspended exports of pork and related products from across the country.
But a ban on shipments has been lifted for some markets after individual negotiations and Tokyo does not plan to stop exports to those destinations following the latest case, according to farm ministry officials.
Hog cholera does not affect humans even if an infected animal is consumed. Japan’s pork exports totaled around 1 billion yen ($9 million) last year.
Prior to the outbreak, Japan only saw hog cholera in 1992 and had declared the virus eradicated in 2007.
–Kyodo
Associated Press
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