News African swine fever
Number of ASF infections in Europe worrying
The total number of African swine fever infections among wild boars is significantly higher than last year. The latest data from the European Animal Disease Notification System (ADNS) shows shocking numbers.
Over the whole of 2019, the total number of detected infections stood at 6.407 in Europe. However, the figures for the first three months of 2020 already show a large increase. In the first quarter of 2020, 4.476 outbreaks were detected. This means that the number of infections has so far been almost 70% of the total number of infections of last year, while these numbers are only over 3 months.
High Growth Countries
The increase is partly due to the number of outbreaks of the virus among wild boars in Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia. There, the number of outbreaks during the first quarter is already higher in some parts than the total for 2019. In Serbia, 40 outbreaks have been reported so far, while no cases were reported there last year.
It is not only the situation among wild boars that has worsened. There are also countries with increasing infection rates among farmed pigs. Greece also reported the first outbreak at a pig farm in Serres in February.
Situation in Poland
In Poland, the situation among both wild boars and reared pigs has worsened. The number of infections among wild boars there stands at 1.976 outbreaks in the first quarter of this year. Over the whole of 2019, 2.468 outbreaks were registered. It is also spreading to areas in Poland. At the end of 2019, the virus spread to the west of the country and has even spread to just a few kilometers from the German border.
Among reared pigs, the situation has also worsened. Despite only 2 outbreaks being reported, this is worrying given that the outbreaks have been detected in the new area in the west of the country.
Downtrend in Estonia
There is not an increase in all countries. In Estonia, the situation has become less serious. There have been no more reported cases of infection in pigs kept there since 2018. The seriousness of the situation among wild boars also appears to be decreasing. So far, only 20 outbreaks of the virus among wild boars have been reported.
Chanti Oussoren
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