Photo: Screenshot of Banyuetan video

Dozens of dead pigs were found in the banks of the Yellow River in North China's Inner Mongolia, raising public concerns over the health of riparian residents. Some carcasses were scattered on the river embankment or on the sides of the road, and more than a dozen were submerged in the water near the margin. 

On Sunday night, the local government issued a statement on the disposal of the pig carcasses saying that the area had been decontaminated and the source of the incident is under investigation.

Local villagers have no idea where the pig carcasses came from.

The local public security department is collecting evidence at the scene and carrying out the investigation. Agriculture and animal husbandry departments have taken samples of the dead pigs and carried out an epidemiological screening and source tracing tasks. 

The carcasses have been promptly collected and disinfected in accordance with relevant regulations, and the areas where the dead pigs were discarded have been thoroughly disinfected.

The local government is conducting a comprehensive screening into similar cases and will release follow-up information to the public in a timely manner.

As weather warmed up quickly in spring, the pig carcasses decomposed, raising concerns among the locals about a virus being the possible cause of death and potential risks of infection.

Regulations in China clearly state that, even if the animals die of normal causes, they must be disposed of innocuously and must not be thrown into the river and pollute water.

The local government said it had set up an emergency response group to investigate and deal with the incident immediately.

Global Times