BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China has confirmed a new outbreak of African swine fever in the eastern province of Anhui, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Monday.

The new outbreak was discovered in Yi'an district of Tongling, where 63 of the 219 pigs on a farm were confirmed infected and 23 died, the ministry cited a report from the China Animal Disease Control Center.

The ministry said local authorities have initiated an emergency response mechanism to block, cull, and disinfect the affected pigs.

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 Liaoning Province.