Nguyen Van Ngu, deputy chairman of the Thang Binh district People’s Committee, said it is becoming increasingly difficult to control the disease as households raise pigs on a small scale and there are not enough veterinarians to cope with the situation.

Farmer Tran Quang Vinh in Que Son district said he had raised 100 pigs. In one week, his herd refused to eat and suffered from a high fever, their ears quickly turning to red and then blue. He had spent nearly VND10 million trying to cure the herd but failed. Most of his pigs have died, only a few sows remain in his piggery.

Blue ear was detected in Quang Nam province in June, but it was not until July 13 that local authorities announced the outbreak of the disease in the province. There has been plenty of vaccine in stock but there is no compulsory vaccination underway.

Director of the Veterinary Department Bui Quang Anh has left Hanoi for an inspection tour of Quang Nam. An official telegram warning of the threat of blue ear infection has been sent to all central and Central Highland provinces.