Timor-Leste, an island country 400-km north of Australia, is now the 10th country in Asia to report an outbreak of ASF.

Samples taken from the animals and sent for laboratory analysis in Australia confirmed African swine fever.

ASF so far has been reported in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mongolia, North Korea, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, South Korea and East Timor.

Authorities have confirmed African swine fever caused the death of 405 pigs belonging to small producers in Dili municipality. The total number of pigs on smallholder farms in Dili is estimated to be 44,000 based on 2015 census data.