African swine fever hits Spain after three decades

(MENAFN) Spain has detected African swine fever (ASF) in two wild boars near Barcelona, marking the first occurrence of the virus in the country since 1994, according to reports.

While the virus poses no threat to humans, it is highly lethal for pigs and wild boar, raising concerns about potential economic repercussions for Spain’s pork industry, the largest in the European Union. Catalonia’s agriculture minister, Oscar Ordeig, acknowledged the virus could have a “big” financial impact but emphasized the swift response by authorities.

The two boars were discovered dead approximately one kilometer (0.6 miles) apart near the campus of the Autonomous University of Barcelona on Wednesday. Following the discovery, officials activated containment protocols, including suspending exports of pork and pork products. A 20-kilometer (12-mile) control zone has been established, covering 39 farms, and rural agents are conducting searches for additional dead wild boars.

Spain’s Agriculture Ministry noted that ASF first entered the EU from Russia via the Baltic States and Poland in 2014. The virus currently affects 13 European countries, including Italy and Germany. Some nations, such as Belgium, Sweden, and the Czech Republic, have successfully eradicated the disease in wild boar populations using strict control measures, despite sporadic long-distance outbreaks similar to Spain’s current case.

The European Food Safety Authority warns that ASF can take several years to eliminate and that no vaccines or treatments are available. Affected regions typically face substantial financial losses due to animal fatalities, movement restrictions, and control costs.

Spain is already managing a major bird flu outbreak and has recently ordered all farmed birds to be confined to prevent contact with wild birds.

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