ASF Germany: Virus in washed up wild boar near Koblenz
African Swine Fever virus (ASFv) has made a one-off jump of about 60 km north west as a washed up wild boar in the river Rhine was tested positive last week. Most likely just an incident – but in the core zone more south east the situation not under control. The number of infected wild boar in western Germany has grown to 541 since June.
According to data shared by the German Animal Disease Information System (TSIS) in Germany, the washed up animal was found in the district Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis, between the towns Boppard and Spey, just south of Koblenz, on Tuesday, November 26. On Friday, November 29, Germany’s national reference laboratory, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, confirmed the ASF suspicion.
Rhine transported wild boar carcass
Most likely the animal lived in the core zone, as the crow flies about 60-80 km to the south east. As it was found on the banks of the river Rhine, it is fair to assume the animal must have died close to the river, and the water must have taken the animal’s carcass to the north. For that reason, in consultation with Germany’s federal ministry of agriculture, no new core zones were set up as a result of the finding.
Obviously, the finding area is being scrutinised to make sure that the area is indeed free from disease. Drones have been used to fly over the area, and by the weekend already an area of 1,850 ha was searched on both banks of the Rhine river. Also search dogs are being used to examine the area further. No further dead wild boar were found so far.
Zoo with wild boar infected
In the core zone itself, the situation has become more difficult in the last month, particularly in Hesse state. Here, the total number of infected wild boar has grown to 483 according to data shared by the Hesse state authorities. The outbreaks started to occur in Gross-Gerau district this summer – which has still the most number of finds (235), but the district Bergstrasse is now following closely with 220 positively tested wild boar carcasses, of which the majority was found in the last month.
“These numbers show that the situation is still dynamic,” said Matthias Schimpf, local head head of the department of veterinary and hunting affairs in German agricultural title Top Agrar.
In addition, in Bergstrasse district also 24 wild boar in a small-size wildlife zoo had to be euthanised mid-November, when the virus emerged in its population. In total 5 animals had already died and when all animals were tested, 21 proved to be positive for ASF, wrote the local newspaper Bergsträßer Anzeiger.
Together with 8 farms in July, this is the 9th location with animals in captivity where the authorities had to perform culling in Hesse state.
In total 19 farms infected in Germany
For the whole of Germany, now 19 farms – or locations with pigs/wild boar in captivity got infected, since the virus emerged in Germany in 2020. Until mid-2024, the ASF problems were exclusively for the states in eastern Germany, with 2 one-off farm infections in Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg states.
In the eastern part of Germany, the situation is being brought back under control bit by bit as in an increasing amount of districts, the virus appears to have vanished. It certainly isn’t completely over yet, however, as carcasses testing positive still continue to be found in Saxony and Brandenburg states along the border with Poland. Interestingly, one of them was recently found near the town Gransee, about 85 km away from the border with Poland.
According to the website of the German TSIS, until December 1, 2024, a total of 6,373 wild boar have been found infected with ASF all in all.
Poland: 44 infected farms in 2024
In neighbouring Poland, in the meantime, the number of infected farms has gone up to 44 in 2024 alone. Especially the last infected farm was one to remember. In West Pomerania, a farm of 11,071 animals had to be emptied mid-September due to ASF. This farm was located close to the town of Kolki, at about 80 km from the border with Germany.
The virus emerged in Poland in 2014. Apart from many wild boar victims, the number of infected farms is now 552 – this number includes small-size farms as well as commercial facilities.
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