Included among the latest outbreaks of African swine fever in Romania are 4 on commercial farms.
Within Europe, the country officially reporting the most new outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in domestic pigs over the past week is Romania.
The latest outbreaks — 70 in total — started between July 23 and August 17, according to reports to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). More than 7,000 pigs were directly affected in these outbreaks, which were widespread across the country.
While the great majority of the outbreaks were in backyard herds of no more than 143 pigs, four of the affected premises were described as farms. They held between 600 and 2,140 pigs each. Also affected was a prison farm with almost 400 animals.
ASF returns to Ukrainian region
After an absence of one month, ASF has returned to Ternopil in western Ukraine.
In mid-August, the virus was detected in a small backyard herd in the province, according to the official report to the OIE. Ukraine’s veterinary authority had reported the previous ASF outbreak in Ternopil during July.
In the southeastern oblast of Zaporizhia, the ASF situation has been “resolved,” according to the same agency. The virus was last detected in this oblast three months ago.
Russia registers 6 new ASF outbreaks
Over the past week, Russia’s agriculture ministry has reported to the OIE six new ASF outbreaks in the west of the country. Affecting 161 pigs, the largest of the backyard herds infected had 131 animals.
ASF virus was detected at premises in the oblasts of Kaluga and Tver in the Central federal district, and in Samara oblast, which is in the Volga district.
ASF detected in 5 more Polish herds
Over the past week, Poland’s chief veterinary office has registered a further five new outbreaks of ASF in domestic pigs. These bring the country’s total outbreaks in domestic pigs so far this year to 55.
All the latest herds to be affected were in the east of the country, and had no more than 39 pigs. Three of the outbreaks occurred in the province of Lublin, and the other two were in Podkarpackie (Subcarpathian province).
These latest outbreaks bring to more than 44,500 the total number of Polish pigs directly affected by ASF this year.
The majority of the country’s outbreaks since March have been in eastern provinces, where ASF is known to have been circulating in the wild boar population for some time. Worst affected province is Lublin, which accounts for 39 of this year’s outbreaks. There have also been cases at two locations in Lubusz, which is in the west of Poland, and borders Germany.
Nine of the ASF outbreaks In Poland have been at premises described as farms.
More cases confirmed in Europe’s wild boar
Over the past week, Poland’s veterinary office has recorded 49 new cases of ASF among wild boar. These were in animals that had been shot or were found dead between July 27 and August 11. Fifteen of these latest cases were in the eastern province of Warmia-Masuria, and 14 were in Lubusz.
Reporting new cases in wild boar to the OIE over the past week were Romania (47 animals), Hungary (36), and Latvia (5).
In their latest updates to the OIE, veterinary authorities in Belgium and Moldova have reported no new ASF cases in wild boar. Moldova has recorded no new cases since May. There have been no new cases among Belgian wild boar since early March.
New research from Europe indicates that ASF virus transmission in feed is more complex than previously thought.
Among Asian countries, South Korea has been most successful in its efforts to control ASF. According to Joe Schuele of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, South Korea did a good job of mitigating the ASF situation. He said South Korea has restored its domestic pork industry.
China’s latest ASF vaccine trials have delivered promising results, and will advance to the next phase, reports the country’s agriculture ministry.
View our continuing coverage of the global African swine fever situation.
