BEIJING (Reuters) – China is set to lift restrictions on an area in central Henan province, where the country’s second African swine fever outbreak occurred last month, the agriculture ministry said on Sunday.

The local government in Zhengzhou plans to officially lift the blockade on Oct. 1, but it must take measures to prevent recurrence of the highly contagious disease, the ministry said in a statement.

On Saturday, the ministry said it had removed restrictions in Shenyang, Liaoning province, where the first such outbreak was reported.

The world’s top pork producer has seen a steady stream of outbreaks since the first case was reported in early August.

Authorities have banned the transport of live hogs and pig products from regions bordering provinces where African swine fever has been reported, shut live markets and banned the use of feed derived from pig blood in an attempt to contain the disease.

(Reporting by Kevin Yao; Editing by Richard Borsuk)

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