First cases of African swine fever in domestic pigs confirmed in Germany
On July 16, Germany's agriculture ministry stated that African swine fever (ASF) had been found in domestic pigs for the first time. The findings were validated by the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute.
The report originates from Brandenburg, Germany's eastern state, where the first cases of ASF in wild boar were discovered in September 2020. Since then, Brandenburg's agriculture ministry has confirmed 1 249 cases. Oder-Spree has been the hardest hit, with ASF virus-positive cases discovered in five districts. As of July 13, there had been 1 548 cases of ASF among wild boar in Germany. Moreover, Brandenburg shares a border with Poland, which has verified 20 ASF outbreaks in domestic pigs this year, affecting 25 000 pigs.
The farms that were affected according to the Friedrich-Loeffler Institute include an organic farm in the Spree-Neiße district, where one sow perished, and a small property with two pigs in the Märkisch-Oderland region. The organic farm is in an infected core zone caused by ASF in wild boar, whereas the tiny holding is in a so far ASF-free white zone. The infection's cause has yet to be discovered. According to the Swine Fever Ordinance, the pigs from both farms must be culled and destroyed.
“For almost a year we have been fighting against the enormous pressure of the disease from Poland. I very much regret the first cases in farm pigs, but sadly this possibility could never be fully ruled out,” said Ursula Nonnemacher, Brandenburg state health minister.
In September 2020, ASF was discovered in wild boar in the Spree-Neiße district of Germany for the first time. Since then, 103 instances in the district of Märkisch-Oderland have been confirmed, with 261 in the district of Märkisch-Oderland.
Source:
To read more about this topic: https://affidiajournal.com/en/the-continued-consumption-of-meat-infected-with-african-swine-fever-virus-could-cause-a-new-pandemic
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