ROSTOV-ON-DON, October 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's emergencies ministry has put farms in Russia's southern Rostov Region under quarantine following confirmation of an outbreak of swine fever, the ministry said in a statement.

Since September 27, a total of 24 pigs have died of African swine fever in one of the region's farms, where there were more than 6,700 swine.

"The decision to impose a quarantine and emergency regime was taken at a meeting of the commission on emergency situations," the statement said.

African swine fever, or Montgomery's disease, was first reported in Africa in 1903. Both domestic and wild animals can become infected when they come into contact with sick animals. The virus does not affect humans, but can causes large economic losses.