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An update of EU control measures to combat the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) was endorsed by Member State experts on Friday, 12 September 2014. These regionalised restrictions, affecting, to differing degrees, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Estonia, identify four levels of risks to animal health, redefine the regionalisation and differentiate between these restricted zones in accordance to the level of risk.
The four levels of restrictions, in order of severity are:
a) stringent restrictions in Sardinia because ASF is endemic in pigs and wild boar,
b) a re-demarcation of the infected area in Lithuania and Latvia where the disease is present in wild boar and also in domestic pigs but not yet stabilised,
c) a re-demarcation of some areas in Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Estonia where the disease was found mainly in wild boar and
d) an additional zone adjacent to the zones mentioned above to prevent the further spread of the disease.
Two cases of ASF in wild boar have been recently detected in Estonia in zones already under restriction, which is adjacent to the restricted zone in Latvia where cases in wild boar and backyard pig holdings were reported over the past few weeks. The new boundaries take account of these recent findings. Since January 2014, a total of 39 outbreaks occurred in pigs and 87 notifications in wild boar occurred in these countries.
For more information: http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/controlmeasures/asf_en.htm
Monday September 15, 2014/ EC/ European Union.
http://europa.eu/
