Registering new cases of African swine fever (ASF) in domestic swine are Poland, Romania and Russia.
In early July, African swine fever (ASF) hit a large farm in Romania, and a smaller one in Poland the next week, as well as backyard herds in Romania, Poland and Russia. Meanwhile, additional cases in wild boar have been confirmed in 10 European states since the start of this month.
So far this year, Poland has confirmed 20 outbreaks of ASF in domestic pigs. Directly impacted have been almost 25,000 swine, according to the nation’s chief veterinary office.
With nine of these outbreaks reported since July 8, and one of the affected premises a commercial farm, the ASF situation in the country appears to be deteriorating again. Outbreaks have been confirmed in eight provinces, including most recently for the first time in Lower Silesia (Dolnoslaskie).
With more than 1,900 pigs, the affected farm was in Greater Poland (Wielkopolskie). Others were backyard herds of up to 77 animals.
After a hiatus since October last year, Poland’s first ASF outbreak of 2021 in domestic pigs was in mid-March. In late May, cases were confirmed at a second premises. Subsequent outbreaks started since the third week of June.
New ASF outbreaks in pigs in 6 regions of western Russia
In Russia, ASF appears to be spreading rapidly in two federal districts — Central and Northwestern federal districts.
This is according to recent official reports to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Over the past week, the nation’s veterinary agency has officially registered a total of 13 outbreaks of the disease in six oblasts in these regions — Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Novgorod, Pskov and Yaroslavl.
With the largest herd numbering 24 pigs, total pigs affected in these outbreaks was 152. For Bryansk and Pskov, the latest cases mark a return of the disease after a hiatus of four years and 11 months, respectively.
This month, Russian authorities registered ASF outbreaks in the oblasts of Voronezh and Vladimir. These are also located in the Central federal district.
Latest Romanian outbreaks include large farm
With the country’s first outbreak in June 2018, Romania has now been battling ASF for more than three years. Since then, the great majority of domestic pig herds affected have belonged to small backyard herds across many counties.
However, among the 32 outbreaks registered with the OIE over the past week was one at a farm with around 10,450 pigs in Timis. Of these, 56 animals died in the outbreak, which was confirmed on July 3. Located in the west of Romania, this county borders Hungary and Serbia. Other recently affected herds each comprised up to 50 pigs.
ASF outbreak total in Europe’s domestic pigs in 2021 passes 600
So far this year, 617 outbreaks have been confirmed among domestic pigs, according to the latest update of the Animal Disease Information Notification System from the European Commission (EC; as of July 11).
Of the five European states registering cases through this system in 2021, two have reported new outbreaks during July. These include the worst-affected country, Romania (now with 558 outbreaks so far in 2021), and Poland (20).
Also registering new cases through this system in 2021 have been Serbia (33 outbreaks), Ukraine (five), and Slovakia (one). None of these countries has recorded cases so far during July.
During the whole of 2020, 1,240 ASF outbreaks in pigs were registered with the EC by 10 European countries. The EC system does not monitor the ASF situation in Russia.
European wild boar outbreaks now exceed 7,800 so far this year
As of July 11, 12 European countries had registered 7,819 ASF outbreaks in wild boar with the EC system in 2021. By far registering the most cases so far in 2021 is Hungary with 2,414 outbreaks. Poland’s total has reached 1,908, and Slovakia’s 1,226.
Also confirming new cases so far this month have been Germany (with a current total of 966 outbreaks so far this year), Romania (800), Bulgaria (185), Latvia (133) and Lithuania (80).
This year, Estonia, Italy, Serbia, and Ukraine have registered cases in wild boar with the EC.
For comparison, 14 of the region’s states recorded a total on 11,027 outbreaks during the whole of 2020.
Six countries register new ASF cases in wild boar
Total cases of ASF among wild boar in Germany reached 1,548 animals, as of July 13. Based on information from the respective administrations of the two states affected so far, this represents a rise of 65 cases over the past 10 days.
Since the eastern state registered its first case of ASF in September 2020, the agriculture ministry of Brandenburg gives its total as 1,249 confirmed cases. With ASF virus-positive cases detected in five districts, Oder-Spree has been worst affected (654 cases).
Neighboring Saxony is the only other state in Germany where ASF-positive cases have been detected among wild boar. By July 13, its total had reached 299 cases, reported the agriculture ministry. All of Saxony’s cases so far have been found in the district of Görlitz.
In the latest 51 outbreaks of ASF confirmed in Polish wild boar, 75 animals were directly involved, reports the country’s chief veterinary office. These were confirmed by tests in the period June 4-28. They bring to 1,756 the number of outbreaks in Poland so far this year.
Reported to the OIE since July 6 by the nations’ respective animal health agencies were new ASF cases in wild boar in Hungary (47 cases), Romania (19), Latvia (15) and Russia (13). The Russian cases occurred in the Republic of Tatarstan (Volga federal district), as well as the Northwestern district oblasts of Pskov and Yaroslavl.
In a recent Feed Strategy article, the effects of ASF are explored on feed production in Germany and China.
View our continuing coverage of the global African swine fever situation.
