BEIJING — China has confirmed new outbreaks of African swine fever in three regions, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Dec 5.

On a farm in Hejiang county, Southwest China’s Sichuan province, 68 out of 165 pigs were confirmed dead after being infected with the viral disease, the ministry said, citing a China Animal Disease Control Center report.

Outbreaks were also reported on farms in Xi’an, Northwest China’s Shaanxi province, and Beijing.

Of 245 pigs on the farm in Xi’an, 85 were confirmed infected and 64 dead, while in Shunyi district of Beijing, 53 out of 2,461 pigs were confirmed infected and 26 were dead.

Local authorities have initiated an emergency response to block, cull and disinfect the affected pigs.

African swine fever is a highly contagious, viral disease that infects pigs. It does not affect other animal species or humans.

China reported its first case of the disease in August in the northeastern province of Liaoning.

A total of 81 cases of the disease had been reported in 21 provincial regions as of Dec 3, vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs Yu Kangzhen said at a meeting with political advisors on Dec 4.

Yu said African swine fever outbreaks are generally under control in China as prevention and control measures have been effective.