Pig vaccinations ordered after mystery outbreak

Pig farmers were ordered to carry out mass vaccinations Tuesday following a mysterious outbreak in southern Guangdong province which killed up to 300 of the animals, AFP reported. The Agriculture Ministry said it had called for increased vaccinations for swine fever, pig rash and swine pneumonia as well as asking animal drug producers to boost their output. The pigs that succumbed to the disease in Guangdong first stopped eating and then developed fevers and began hemorrhaging, according to state media. The head of the local township where the outbreak took place said that there were up to 10,000 pigs in the township, but denied reports that up to 80% of the pigs had died. After news of the situation broke, local residents turned their backs on pork for fear of contamination.