During the three-day workshop (November 26-28), delegates reported about the global situation of African swine fever (ASF) and the role of international organizations, including the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) in controlling this disease. Delegates also discussed strategies to control this disease until 2030. Through this, countries will also enhance cooperation, information exchange, and international cooperation in controlling ASF.

Vietnam has successfully researched, produced, and commercialized two types of ASF vaccines from NAVETCO Company and AVAC Company. These vaccines are being used in Vietnam and are exported to several other countries. Currently, WOAH and FAO are coordinating with Vietnam to assess the use of vaccines throughout Vietnam and countries in the region such as the Philippines.

Since the outbreak of ASF in February 2019, Vietnam's pig farming industry has lost over six million pigs to the disease and has been forced to destroy them. From the beginning of 2024 to November 25, there were 1,538 outbreaks nationwide, occurring in 48 provinces and cities, causing the death and destruction of 88,258 pigs.

Mr. Nguyen Van Long, Director of the Department of Animal Health, said that Vietnam has used 5.9 million doses of ASF vaccine to date. In localities that had very serious epidemics such as Lang Son, Cao Bang, and Bac Ninh, after one to two months of using the vaccine, the disease was well controlled.

The pig herd in the Tay Ninh province is estimated to total about 410,000 head, mainly raised on large farms. Meanwhile, 20% of the total herd is small-scale households with limited biosecurity conditions and a high disease risk.

With a nearly 240 km-long border with Cambodia, Tay Ninh province is focusing on improving veterinary capacity such as increasing human resources and equipment according to the Project to Enhance the Capacity of the Veterinary Management System to prevent the risk of disease from the border.

Tay Ninh province's agricultural sector strengthens control of illegal transportation. Agricultural forces closely coordinate with border guards and police to strictly handle acts of trading and transporting livestock of unknown origin. In particular, propaganda on disease prevention is promoted in the media in border areas. At the same time, they strictly handle cases of not reporting epidemics, selling or slaughtering sick or suspected to be sick animals, and dumping animal carcasses into the environment, causing the spread of epidemics.

This regulation establishes the microbiological criteria food business operators must meet according to Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004. Listeria monocytogenes is a highly lethal pathogen that represents a serious risk to public health. According to the latest EFSA report on zoonoses, there was a 15.9% increase in listeriosis cases in the European Union in 2022 compared to 2021, reaching one of the highest numbers of deaths reported in the last decade.

Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 the presence of Listeria monocytogenes is not to be detected in 25g of ready-to-eat foods able to support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, other than those intended for infants and for special medical purposes, before they have left the immediate control of the producing food business operator. However, no criterion was specified for these foods once out of the producer's control, even if it could not be guaranteed that the level of Listeria monocytogenes would not exceed 100 cfu/g during its shelf life.

The amendment introduced by Regulation (EU) 2024/2895 seeks to ensure a uniform level of public health protection from production to distribution of ready-to-eat foods that are able to support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, To this end, the food safety criterion of “Listeria monocytogenes not detected in 25 g” will apply in all situations where such foods are placed on the market during their shelf-life and for which the producing food business operator has not been able to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the competent authority, that the level of Listeria monocytogenes will not exceed the limit of 100 cfu/g throughout their shelf-life.

This measure reinforces food safety in the European Union, responding to the increase in cases of listeriosis and ensuring more effective protection for consumers.