(MENAFN) Authorities in Spain have confirmed the presence of African swine fever in two wild boars near Barcelona, marking the first detection of the virus in the country since 1994, according to reports.

The highly contagious disease, which poses no threat to humans but is often fatal to pigs and wild boar, could have serious consequences for Spain’s pork industry, the largest in the European Union.

Oscar Ordeig, Catalonia’s agriculture minister, acknowledged that the economic repercussions could be “big,” while emphasizing the swift response from authorities.

The two infected boars were discovered dead on Wednesday, approximately one kilometer (0.6 miles) apart, near the campus of the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

In response, officials have activated containment protocols, including a suspension of pork and pork product exports. A 20-kilometer (12-mile) perimeter has been established, encompassing 39 farms, and rural agents are conducting searches for additional dead wild boars.

Spain’s Agriculture Ministry noted that African swine fever entered the EU from Russia via the Baltic States and Poland in 2014 and now affects 13 countries, including Italy and Germany.

“Since the disease entered the EU, Belgium, Sweden and the Czech Republic succeeded in eradicating it after applying strict control and surveillance measures in wild boar populations, following isolated long-distance jumps – similar to the case now detected in Spain,” the ministry said.

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