On a farm in Shenmu City, a county-level city of Shaanxi, 19 pigs were confirmed infected with the viral disease and all were dead, the ministry said, citing a China Animal Disease Control Center report.

Outbreaks were also found in the Baiyun district of Guiyang city, where five pigs have been infected and confirmed dead, it said.

A team was dispatched to Shaanxi and Guizhou immediately, and local authorities have initiated an emergency response to block, cull and disinfect the affected herds.

African swine fever is believed to infect only pigs, and no humans or other species have thus far been infected.

As reported by ChinaDaily