Vietnam is confronting a rapidly escalating outbreak of African swine fever, with infections more than tripling in just two weeks. State media reports the situation has prompted urgent government intervention and renewed concerns about disruptions to global pork supply chains. As of early August, Vietnam has seen over 900 reported outbreaks, a steep increase from just over 500 in mid-July. The Ministry of Agriculture notes that the number of infected pigs has jumped from 30,000 to more than 100,000 in that short span.
In response, the prime minister has issued an urgent directive calling for all provinces and relevant agencies to take immediate measures to contain the virus. Officials are concerned the outbreak could disrupt domestic food supplies and cause further instability in the pork market. While Vietnam drew attention in 2023 as the first country to commercially deploy an African swine fever vaccine, challenges around cost and efficacy have limited its widespread adoption.
Reports from both Vietnamese authorities and industry sources indicate vaccinated pigs still become infected, effectiveness results vary from farm to farm, and various strain differences has made the vaccination inconsistent in effectiveness.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has cautioned that more testing is needed. Vietnam’s main vaccine producer has not shared full trial data internationally, raising concerns about possible substandard vaccines.
