HONG KONG (Reuters) - China has suspended transportation of live hogs from infected provinces to prevent the spread of African swine fever and will shut all live hog markets in the infected provinces, its agriculture ministry said on Friday.

China, where pork is a staple meat, has reported five swine fever cases in five different provinces in a month, prompting authorities to cull hogs at farms in efforts to contain the outbreak.

Chinese authorities will further investigate the epidemic, the ministry said in a statement on its website www.moa www.moa.giv.gov.cn.