Quarantine authorities are on alert after confirming African swine fever(ASF) cases at a slaughterhouse in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province.

The Ministry of Agriculture, said on Friday that six out of 20 pigs were confirmed positive for the deadly animal virus in a mandatory test.

As a preventive measure, quarantine authorities decided to cull eight-thousand pigs at a farm that delivered the 20 pigs to the slaughterhouse.
 
The outbreak marks the first in about two months after its most recent ASF cases were reported at a hog farm in Cheorwon in Gangwon Province on November 9.

Authorities immediately conducted emergency quarantine measures, issuing a 24-hour freeze on all pig farms, slaughterhouses and other livestock facilities as well as personnel and vehicles in northern parts of Gyeonggi Province and Incheon starting from 12 p.m. Friday.

Moreover, authorities are reportedly conducting clinical monitoring of farms in Gyeonggi, northern Gangwon Provinces and Incheon.