Indonesia set to import live African swine fever vaccine from Vietnam

INDONESIA –  The government of Indonesia is preparing to import the world’s first live vaccine for African swine fever (ASF) from Vietnam, in a move to curb the devastating disease that continues to wreak havoc on pig populations across Asia and Europe.

According to a report by DoanhNhanSaigon, a Vietnamese media outlet, the registration process for the AVAC ASF Live vaccine has already begun in Indonesia. 

Once completed, Indonesia will become the third country to authorise the vaccine’s use, following Vietnam and the Philippines.

The vaccine, developed by AVAC Vietnam Joint Stock Company, is a live attenuated formulation designed to protect pigs from ASF, a highly contagious and lethal viral disease for which there had previously been no effective vaccine. 

The company has so far produced over 3.5 million doses, with around three million administered domestically and the remainder exported to the Philippines and Nigeria. An additional 1.5 million doses are kept in reserve for emergencies.

Registration processes are also ongoing in India, Malaysia, Myanmar and Nepal, highlighting growing regional interest in vaccination as a tool for ASF control.

ASF developments in Southeast Asia

In Vietnam, the battle against ASF is far from over. So far this year, 18 outbreaks have been reported in swine across eight districts of Long An province in the Mekong Delta. 

In Nghe An province in the North Central Coast region, more than 1,700 pigs from 70 herds have been culled following infections. Authorities there are launching a mass vaccination campaign targeting at least 80% of the local pig population.

The Philippines, still reeling from a surge in ASF outbreaks during the third quarter of 2024, is taking no chances as the rainy season approaches. 

“The risk of the virus re-emerging rises with the approaching rainy season,” noted the Philippine News Agency. A government-led ASF vaccination program is currently active in Calabarzon and Central Luzon. 

Authorities report a dramatic drop in affected communities, from over 600 last year to fewer than 30 this year, attributed to the immunisation effort.

In India’s Assam state, ASF continues to spread. Sentinel Assam confirmed new infections in Morigaon district, bringing the state’s total to five affected districts so far this year.

Sri Lanka’s pig industry is also grappling with the aftermath of the virus. Since ASF was first detected in Western Province in October 2024, it has spread to all nine provinces, devastating nearly 1,600 farms. 

More than 61,000 pigs have died, including a significant number of wild pigs, according to Sri Lanka Mirror. In response, the government has established a dedicated task force to rebuild the sector.

Greece, Romania record new ASF cases in domestic swine

ASF continues to pose a challenge in Europe as well. Over the past week, Greece and Romania were the only European countries to register new cases in domestic swine, according to the European Commission’s Animal Disease Information System. 

Greece reported one outbreak in a farm in Thessaloniki, where 19 of 590 pigs died. Romania, which remains the worst-affected European country in 2025 with 157 outbreaks so far, logged four additional outbreaks, primarily in non-commercial herds.

ASF infections in wild boar are also on the rise across Europe. As of June 4, 17 countries had reported a combined total of 6,506 ASF outbreaks in wild boar populations, an increase of 104 cases in just one week. 

Poland leads with 2,247 outbreaks so far in 2025, followed by Germany (1,503), Latvia (623), and Hungary (563). Moldova also confirmed six new wild boar cases to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

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