It has also been reported that local farms have increased biosecurity measures and pork producers have heightened protection and surveillance throughout.

The official also added that PED is a disease caused by a coronavirus that leads to passage of watery stool and vomiting in pigs and these signs are usually observed in newborns until two weeks of age as well as in the mothers of these piglets.

He argued that the pathology is characteristic of pigs and is not transmitted to humans. He also added that the infection in pigs occurs only when they come into contact with other affected animals or through fomites (shoes, tyres, clothing etc.) that are contaminated by the virus.

Since the diagnosis of PED in the US in May 2013, the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Agriculture has banned imports of live hogs into the country.

The agricultural official said that complaints were received on 12 November about vomiting and diarrhea in piglets at farms in the township of Cayetano Germosén, Espaillat province, and the animal health authorities proceeded to do some research to determine probable causes of the problem.

"We sampled pigs and established quarantine of the affected areas," he said.

He said the samples were then sent to Central Veterinary Laboratory (LAVECEN) as well as to the National Laboratory Service (NLS) in Ames, Iowa, and the results are still pending.

He added that producers were advised to implement strict biosecurity measures and mobilisation of pigs exclusively to slaughter as well as washing and disinfecting transport units and animal feed.