China on Wednesday denied foreign media reports of African swine fever outbreaks in its north-eastern province of Heilongjiang.

Pigs at 76 swine farms and households in 14 towns of Heilongjiang's cities of Hulin and Mishan and county of Jidong have been tested negative, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said.

The MOA said it tested the pigs' blood and tissue samples with methods recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The tests indicated the pigs were healthy and there were no outbreaks of any swine diseases.

Foreign media reported there were African swine fever outbreaks in Hulin, Mishan and Jidong, the MOA stated.

African swine fever outbreaks have never occurred in China and the country bans imports of live pigs and related products from African countries hit by the disease.

African swine fever has an incubation period of five to 15 days, and will almost certainly kill animals infected within a week of the onset of the disease.

(Xinhua News Agency December 6, 2007)