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As previously reported, Italy confirmed the presence of African swine fever (ASF) last week in a wild boar in the region of Calabria, which represents a new long-distance jump of the virus to a previously free area almost 800 km from the nearest affected area, in the region of Lazio.
According to information published by the Sanitary Alert Network of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, the Zooprophylactic Experimental Institute of Umbria and Marche (Italy) has now confirmed the presence of the disease in samples from four wild boars, as well as on a domestic pig farm.
The positive wild boars have been detected in different locations in the region of Calabria, while the outbreak in domestic pigs occurred on a small breeding farm with an inventory of 70 pigs, where the suspicion was detected after the discovery of two dead sows.
According to the information provided by the Italian Official Veterinary Services, the possibility of an accidental introduction via workers from Eastern Europe is being considered. These workers have come to work on crops in the region during the artichoke harvesting season and could have accidentally transported the virus from their countries of origin through contaminated products to which wild boar populations would have had access.
Location of new outbreaks of ASF in the region of Calabria, Italy
(red dots: outbreaks in wild boar; yellow cross: outbreaks on pig farms). Source: MAPA.
May 16, 2023/ RASVE-MAPA/ Spain.
https://www.mapa.gob.es
