A 3km protection zone has been put into effect around the infected farms and it is now illegal to move any pig within that area unless it is going for slaughter with the written permission of Maff. Farmers will not be allowed to move pigs on or off the infected holdings for 21 days. The farms cannot be restocked for 30 days after the premises have been disinfected. It is still not clear what caused the outbreak which is being investigated by an epidemiological team from Maff. Theories that it is linked to animal feed or infected semen have not yet been confirmed.
Maff officials are to visit all farms within the infected areas over the next week.
Each pig will be examined for the disease, but tests will take three to four days to be confirmed. Maff has said farmers would be compensated for those animals the ministry ordered to be slaughtered. But no compensation would be paid for those animals which died before they could be destroyed. It is hoped compensation claims will be settled within 30 days.