China.org said the nationwide distribution of more than 33.8 million fluid ounces (one billion milliliters) of the vaccine cut the incidence of infected pigs by 87 percent to 3,608 from Oct. 1 to 25 compared to September this year. The number of blue-ear pig disease outbreaks in October also fell to 29 or 65 percent less than in September.
The Ministry of Agriculture said 310,000 pigs survived the disease affecting the respiratory and reproductive organs of the animal from January to October this year. Last year, the ministry said 3.79 million pigs were infected and 992,000 died from the virus.
The ministry added that there were no reports of infections in pig farms where healthy pigs were vaccinated.
The Chinese Center for Animal Disease Control and Prevention and the China Institute of Veterinary Drug Control jointly developed the vaccine, which is safe and effective. The vaccine's protection rate is said to be 88.2 percent.
