Romania confirms first African swine fever case
Over the past month, further cases of ASF have been reported in Russia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.
African swine fever has now reached Romania, where the first outbreak has been reported in domestic pigs on a backyard holding.
The outbreak occurred in a single pig in the city of Satu-Mare, according to a report by Romania’s National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority. A further three susceptible pigs were euthanised and measures are in place to prevent spread of the disease.
Investigations are ongoing as the source of the infection remains unknown.
The outbreak occurred close to the border with Ukraine, where ASF is already present, and Hungary, where it has not yet been detected. The National Pig Association (NPA) in the UK says this could represent the start of another front of ASF developing in Eastern Europe.
Over the past month, further cases of ASF have been reported in Russia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.
NPA is pushing Defra to raise its current ‘very low’ risk status for ASF entering the UK, to ‘recognise the very real threat that this continued spread into the EU poses for us all’.
The association reminded all pig keepers to be vigilant and maintain biosecurity, which includes ensuring pigs are not fed catering waste or kitchen scraps. Clinical signs should be promptly reported to a veterinary surgeon.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
