BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- China's agriculture ministry on Friday said new cases of African swine fever had been confirmed in the country's southwestern province of Guizhou.

(Photo: VCG)

The outbreaks occurred on farms with a total of 898 pigs in Sandu County, with the viral disease infecting 114 of the pigs and killing 82, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said, citing a China Animal Disease Control Center report.

A team was dispatched to the area immediately, and local authorities have initiated an emergency response to block, cull and disinfect affected pigs.

Transport of all pigs and related products out of or into the blockade region is forbidden, the ministry said.

African swine fever is believed to infect only pigs, and no humans or other species have thus far been infected.

China reported its first case of the disease in August 2018 in the northeastern province of Liaoning. Later outbreaks were reported in several other provincial regions.