The death of 1,056 pigs in Hongdong County in north China's Shanxi Province was caused by blue-ear disease, local authorities said Monday.

According to an official with the provincial agricultural bureau who declined to be identified, experts went to the scene Saturday to conduct autopsies. The lab of the Shanxi provincial center for animal disease control and prevention reached its diagnosis Monday.

More than 1,000 pigs were found dead in Wan'an Township, Hongdong. The animals belonged to 65 households in 10 villages. About 80 percent of the dead animals were less than one month old, said Qiao Yongsheng, deputy head of Hongdong County.

A thorough inspection was carried out in the county.

According to Wang Zhijian, vice director of the Hongdong public security bureau, so far 637 pigs had been buried and 25 burned.

In seven slaughterhouses around the county, 30 sick pigs were found, said Jing Beiji, head of the Hongdong bureau of commerce.

To date, no contaminated pork had been discovered at supermarkets, markets or restaurants, said Shi Hongtao, head of the Hongdong bureau for industry and commerce.

(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2009)