Report: Diseased Pigs From Laos Allegedly Enter China for Processing Amid ASF Outbreak

African swine fever outbreaks have been confirmed in Laos and Vietnam, while online reports in China have raised concerns that diseased pigs may be entering the food chain. A separate allegation claims pigs that died during the outbreak in Laos are being transported across the border into China for processing. Vision Times has not independently verified the alleged cross-border trafficking or the claimed connection to a reported food-poisoning incident.

Outbreaks confirmed in Laos and Vietnam

On Sept. 24, the Lao News Agency (KPL) reported that African swine fever (ASF) had reached seven provinces and 91 districts, resulting in the loss of 14,002 pigs. Of those, 10,041 died from ASF and 3,961 were culled. Authorities suspended movement of live pigs and pork products between infected districts and provinces and prohibited pork imports while outbreaks remain active.

The same day, Vietnam’s Nhan Dan reported an ASF outbreak in Hiep Luc Commune, Thai Nguyen Province. Local authorities found 41 pigs at a farm, including 15 that were sick and five that had already died. Subsequent laboratory testing confirmed ASF, and officials destroyed infected animals and disinfected the site.

In China, livestock farmers posting online have reported possible outbreaks across parts of eastern, southern, and southwestern China, including Jiangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hunan and Chongqing. Those reports have not been independently verified. China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs’ public outbreak page lists a Sept. 8 Type O foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in pigs at a slaughterhouse in Chongqing; the ministry’s public September notices reviewed for this article did not include a domestic ASF outbreak.

Cross-border processing allegation

On Oct. 1, an overseas X account known as “Luo Xiang” reposted a tip from an unidentified person near the Laos border alleging that “large quantities of pigs that died from disease are being brought into China and sent for deep processing.”

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The post claimed that diseased pigs from Laos were being turned into ham sausages, Chinese cured sausages, cured pork, dried pork, meatballs, braised meat and fillings for steamed buns, dumplings and wontons. The post did not provide independently verifiable documents identifying a shipment, processing plant or seller.

Laos has imposed controls against the illegal movement of live pigs, pig carcasses and related products. A notification published on the Lao Trade Portal directed authorities to control and intercept imports and smuggling at border checkpoints and other risk points.

China’s Animal Epidemic Prevention Law prohibits the slaughter, sale, transport, processing and storage of animals or animal products that are infected, suspected of infection, or from animals that died of disease or unknown causes. The law also requires diseased and dead animals to undergo harmless disposal.

The blogger asked: “If these pigs that died from disease are really being disposed of harmlessly, why would anyone risk transporting them across the border? And if they really end up in processing plants, how many consumers would be able to tell where the meat they buy actually came from?”

Food-poisoning claim remains unverified

On Oct. 3, the same account reposted another submission claiming that a woman became seriously ill after eating Longjiang pork trotter rice and that dozens of diners were poisoned. The poster said a doctor diagnosed Staphylococcus aureus poisoning and alleged that the incident was connected to pork from pigs that died during the Laos outbreak. The post did not provide documentation establishing the source of the pork or confirming that the restaurant had used meat from diseased pigs.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) states that African swine fever does not infect humans and cannot be transmitted to people by eating pork. ASF is, however, highly contagious among pigs and can spread through contaminated pork products, equipment and vehicles.