According to reports, Taiwan has not registered a single instance of classical swine fever in the past 17 years, raising hope that the country could be officially declared free of the disease by May 2025
If no cases occur this year, the Council of Agriculture (COA) intends to request the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) in July 2024 for Taiwan's designation as swine fever-free. Radio Taiwan International (RTI) reported that this declaration could be granted as early as May 2025.
Taiwan's Prime Minister, Chen Chien-jen, informed the Cabinet that the country is already one of just two nations in East Asia without African swine fever, and they have successfully eradicated foot-and-mouth disease after 24 years of dedicated efforts, which is a remarkable accomplishment in Asia.
Chen highlighted that Taiwan's objective is to become the sole country in Asia free of all three animal diseases. As part of this initiative, vaccinations for all pigs will be discontinued from this year until June 2024.
The premier emphasised the need for collaboration between the central government, local authorities, and farmers to oversee the process and prevent any potential new cases. The COA stated that recent tests conducted over the past six months indicate a low risk of a fresh outbreak.
