A standing group of experts on African swine fever (SGE-ASF) for Asia was launched in April in Beijing, China, under the FAO/OIE Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs) umbrella.

This international group of experts will help share information and best practices for the prevention and control of African swine fever outbreaks, taking into account the current situation in Asia.

The launch was accompanied by presentations giving information on the background of the disease and by discussions about the evolving situation in Asia and the role of the SGE-ASF in tackling the disease.

Professor Dirk Pfeiffer (Chair Professor of One Health) is a technical advisor to the group and spoke about ‘Known and suspected risk factors for spread of the African swine fever virus in Asian context’.

Since the first reports of the virus in China in August 2018, there has been increasing concern over African swine fever in Asia. With over 60% of the world’s domestic pig population being kept in Asia, the impact of this disease in the region can not be underestimated and the expert group will help coordinate efforts to control the disease.