Sep 10 (NHK) - Officials in central Japan's Gifu Prefecture have begun culling hogs after confirming the country's first outbreak of swine fever in 26 years.
The officials say they found about 80 dead hogs at a pig farm in the city of Gifu from Monday through Saturday.
A government test confirmed the animals tested positive for swine fever virus. The disease is also known as hog cholera.
Officials started culling 610 hogs at the farm on Sunday morning. That includes animals that had already died due to the disease. The officials say the work will be finished by Monday morning.
Prefectural authorities have banned the shipment of hogs from within a 10-kilometer radius of the farm to prevent the virus from spreading.
They have also set up 5 sites in the areas for disinfecting livestock vehicles.
