ASF update: 2nd case in Hungary
Another case follows the outbreak of African Swine Fever in wild boar in Hungary. Just like the 1st case, this carcass was found in Heves county, in northern Hungary. In Poland, outbreaks in wild boar are increasing.
The new case in Hungary was found in a forest near the village Mátrafüred, a village about 7 km north of Gyöngyös, where the 1st case was confirmed one week earlier.
The carcass was discovered on 27 April – 3 days later the positive outcome was shared with the International Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
Closing borders for Hungarian pork
The 1st outbreak, which was discovered on 20 April, has led to several reactions. Five countries across the globe announced closing their borders temporarily for pork and pork products from Hungary – Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan did so, according to the leading Hungarian business daily Világgazdaság. Serbia also announced it closed its borders to pig transports.
Especially the Asian bans are a blow for Hungary’s pork industry. In terms of revenue, Japan is the main destination for Hungarian pork exports. The country takes about 25% of total exports, worth € 76.2 million. Taiwan and South Korea come 6th and 11th respectively, the newspaper said.
Slowly spreading virus
African Swine Fever is a lethal, but slowly spreading virus. It has been in Europe since 2007; Figure 1 shows the advancement of the virus ever since it was introduced in Europe in Georgia and Armenia.
Hungary is the 7th country in the European Union that has ASF within its borders. Earlier, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic confirmed ASF in its wild boar populations.
ASF situation in Poland
Outbreaks continue to occur regularly in Poland as well, with fresh carcasses of infected wild boar reported from all provinces known to have ASF. Lublin, Masovia and Podlaskie jointly reported 441 outbreaks to the OIE since the beginning of March 2018. The northern province Warmia-Masuria reported 82 since the beginning of the year.
Read more on pig health in the Pig Progress health tool
ASF situation in Czech Republic
Meanwhile, the total number of wild boar carcasses found in the Czech Republic with ASF has risen to 221, according to the OIE. All positive cases were found in wild boar, in Zlín region, in the south east of the Czech Republic. No farms have been reported infected with ASF so far.
Read more about the ASF situation in Poland in this interview with Prof Zygmunt Pejsak
ASF situation in Romania
Romania so far reported 3 cases to the OIE – all 3 happened in backyard farms. The latest one was reported early March and involved 3 pigs on a backyard farm in Satu Mare county in the north of Romania.
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