Hanoi, Jul 2 (IANS): African swine fever (ASF) has struck 61 localities across Vietnam, leading to the culling of over 2.84 million pigs or 10.3 per cent of the country's total pig population.

The country's Tra Vinh province has become the latest locality to be hit by ASF, the provincial authorities said, noting that a herd of 54 pigs raised by a household in Giong Trom district was affected by the animal disease, Vietnam News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Vietnam will focus on developing cattle, poultry and aquatic breeding to compensate for a shortage of pork which is expected to hit the country this year due to ASF, its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said late last month.

Vietnam reported the first ASF outbreak in February in northern Hung Yen province.

ASF is a severe viral disease affecting domestic pigs and boars which can spread by live or dead pigs and pork products. The ASF virus is harmless to humans, but causes hemorrhagic fever in pigs and wild boars that is almost fatal.