Dead-Pig Tide and the Ongoing Danger of China Epidemics

March 11 (Bloomberg) -- The dead pigs started appearing onthe riverbanks of Shanghai’s iconic Huangpu River on March 4,and by the weekend, state media were reporting that 900 had beenfound floating in the river, the source of much of the city’swater supply. The reports didn’t offer an explanation for wherethe dead pigs had come from or how they had died. Still, onething was absolutely certain in the articles and the social-media chatter: Nothing good comes from a dead-pig tide.

Early today, Shanghai Daily reported that the number ofdead pigs floating in the river had increased to 1,200. Later inthe morning, the Global Times, a national paper, reported thatthe number had crossed “at least 2,200” and was expected torise. By early evening, the government had retrieved 3,323carcasses from the river, with more still floating towarddowntown.