FUZHOU - China has confirmed a new outbreak of African swine fever in east China's Fujian Province, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Thursday.

Among 4,521 pigs raised on a local farm in the city of Putian, 85 pigs were confirmed infected and dead, the ministry said.

The ministry has dispatched a working team to Fujian, while local authorities have initiated an emergency response to block, cull and disinfect the affected pigs. The disease has been handled properly and the situation is under control, the ministry said.

It was the first swine fever outbreak in Fujian this year. African swine fever is a highly contagious, viral disease that infects pigs. It does not affect humans or other animal species.

China reported its first case of the disease in August in the northeastern province of Liaoning. Later outbreaks were reported in several other provinces.