VIENTIANE, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government has made a preparation and prevention paper in response to recent swine fever outbreaks in neighboring countries and possible risks they might pose, especially to Laos' border areas, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Friday.

An importation ban of pigs and pig products has been issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Deputy Minister of the ministry Bounkhuang Khambounheuang told a press conference in Lao capital Vientiane on Thursday that the ministry has been keeping a very close eye on the situation and doing everything possible to ensure the disease does not spread.

"African swine fever cannot be passed from animals to people but people can spread the disease. Everyone should be careful only to consume cooked foods to prevent the spread of diseases," he said.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative to Laos, Nasar Hayat, reported that African swine fever is a viral disease affecting pigs and wild boars and has an almost 100 percent death rate.

A few days ago, four outbreaks were reported in Dien Bien province of Vietnam which shares a border with Laos. Though a ban on the importation of pigs and pig products has been issued, cross border movement may still occur because some border areas are porous, said the report.

Hayat said rapid assessment criteria of country preparedness to disease outbreak says it is mandatory for everyone to report suspected disease. A contingency plan needs to accompany the standard operating procedures when dealing with outbreak investigations, outbreak containment, depopulation, carcass disposal and disinfection.