Global ASF Update: Virus Spreads Near Germany
In December, Poland recorded 55 outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars near the German border, increasing concern that the virus could spread to Germany, one of the European Union’s largest pork exporters.
The disease was discovered in a village less than 20 miles from Germany, according to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) website.
A majority of the Polish outbreaks reported to the OIE were discovered in neighboring villages in the states of Lubuskie and Wielkopolskie, about 50 miles from the German border, Reuters reports.
Germany fears losing its export market to China and other Asian countries if ASF were to be discovered within their borders.
German authorities have built fences along the Poland border to help prevent wild boars from wandering into Germany and potentially spreading the disease. The state of Brandenburg built fences in December and relaxed hunting restrictions to allow more shooting of boar, Reuters reports. The state of Saxony announced they are erecting an electrified fence along a high-risk sector close to the border with Poland.
Bulgaria culls 40,000 pigs
Bulgarian veterinary authorities announced on Wednesday they are culling nearly 40,000 pigs after detecting an ASF outbreak at a farm in the northeast of the country, Reuters reports.
This is the second industrial farm in Bulgaria to be struck in the last week.
The disease was discovered on a farm in the village of Brestak, near Varna, the Bulgarian food safety agency said. Reuters reports a quarantine zone will be established around the village.
ASF does not impact humans, but is deadly in both domestic and wild pigs. It poses no food safety risks. For more information on ASF, visit porkbusiness.com/ASF.
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