A new outbreak of African swine fever has been reported in an eastern province at the borders of East Timor.

According to the Indonesian agriculture ministry, 2,825 pigs had died by Feb. 27 in five areas of East nusa Tenggara, Reuters reported.

Following that, the ministry has sent teams to investigate the source of the infection and carry out disinfection in these areas.

Transport of live pigs and products from East Timor has been tightened as well.

Farmers are urged not to sell sick livestock and to dispose of pig carcasses carefully.

Cases of swine fever have been reported since last September.

Over 800 pigs had died in Bali earlier this year.

The African swine fever has also plagued areas in the western province of North Sumatra, killing more than 47,000 pigs.

What is African swine fever?

The virus can come from pigs, dead or alive, and even pork products like a pack of sausages.

African swine fever can be carried over long distances and cross national borders easily.

Pigs and wild boars infected with African swine fever usually die from a hemorrhagic fever.

There is no vaccination for African swine fever yet.

However, the African swine fever virus is, for the most part, harmless to human beings.

This virus is common in African countries but outbreaks have occurred in other parts of the world.

Top photo by Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals