HANOI (Reuters) - An African swine fever outbreak is spreading widely in Vietnam and is hurting the local farming industry, the government said on Thursday.

       The outbreak has this year spread to 57 out of the country's 63 cities and provinces, the government said in a statement, adding that the authorities have so far this year culled 230,000 hogs, three times higher than a year earlier.

       (Editing by Martin Petty)