On a farm in Shanghai, 50 pigs were confirmed infected with the viral disease and 11 confirmed dead, the ministry said, citing a China Animal Disease Control Center report.

Outbreaks were also confirmed in the provinces of Jiangxi, Yunnan and Sichuan, with at least 23 pigs confirmed dead, it added.

Local authorities have initiated an emergency response to block, cull and disinfect the affected pigs.

African swine fever is a highly contagious, viral disease that infects pigs but not humans or other animals.

China reported its first case of the disease in August in Liaoning province. Later outbreaks were reported in several other provincial regions.