TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taichung officials have intensified efforts to contain an African swine fever outbreak at a pig farm in the Wuqi District (梧棲區), following directives from the central government. Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕), the mayor, emphasized the city government's commitment to a thorough investigation on Wednesday (Oct. 29), promising accountability for any administrative lapses.
Lu stressed the importance of treating epidemic prevention as a battle, noting that the city government convened an emergency response meeting overnight after receiving the latest central guidelines on Oct. 28. She declared a citywide mobilization to prevent the virus from spreading beyond the farm and to achieve zero cases swiftly.
Taichung's deputy mayor, Cheng Chao-hsin (鄭照新), added that the first round of inspections at 37 food waste pig farms was completed on Oct. 24. The following online checks had been finished on Oct. 27 and 28. The city government conducted another round of disinfection at the affected site from Oct. 28 to early Oct. 29, employing flamethrowers and enhancing control over personnel and stray animals.
Meanwhile, in response to the outbreak, Taichung's Bureau of Environmental Protection (環保局) will close nine food waste landfills starting on Thursday (Oct. 30). This measure aligns with the central government's ban on using food waste as pig feed. Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) has offered assistance to coordinate waste management through meetings across diverse city and county governments.