African swine fever continues to spread across Europe and Asia

EUROPE – The spread of African swine fever (ASF) continues to raise alarms as Germany, Italy, and Poland report new outbreaks and the virus advances in the Philippines. 

The disease’s persistence and expansion underscore the critical need for coordinated control measures and heightened vigilance in affected regions.

According to the European Commission’s Animal Disease Information System, six countries registered new ASF outbreaks in domestic pig populations between July 25 and 31. 

During this period, 30 new herds were affected. Romania reported the highest number of new outbreaks with 11, followed by Italy with six, Poland with five, Ukraine with four, Germany with three, and Croatia with one.

This year, 13 European nations have faced ASF outbreaks in domestic pigs, with Serbia (116 outbreaks), Romania (107), Ukraine (33), Poland (30), and Bosnia-Herzegovina (25) being the worst hit. This is a marked increase compared to last year, when 16 countries reported 4,513 outbreaks in farmed pigs.

In Poland, the first ASF outbreak in Pomerania affected 161 pigs. Since then, the national veterinary office has recorded three additional outbreaks in Greater Poland, bringing the country to 30 outbreaks involving nearly 9,700 animals.

Italy has also seen significant ASF activity, with new outbreaks confirmed in Novara province, marking the first-ever detection in this area. Other affected regions include Piacenza, Milano, and Pavia in Lombardy. Italy’s total outbreaks since early 2022 now stand at 27, impacting over 13,400 swine.

In Germany, the Hesse state reported its eighth ASF outbreak, affecting a farm with approximately 1,800 pigs in Gross-Gerau. 

Authorities have implemented road closures to facilitate the depopulation of the affected premises and have constructed extensive electric fencing to contain infected wild boar.

ASF continues to affect wild boar populations across Europe, with over 4,000 outbreaks reported this year. Poland and Italy are the worst-affected countries, followed by Latvia and Lithuania. 

New cases were confirmed in Germany, Romania, Slovakia, and the Hesse state, where ASF was detected in the Bergstrasse district for the first time.

In response to the deteriorating ASF situation in northern Italy, European experts have recommended urgent improvements to the disease control strategy. 

They emphasize a coordinated approach based on the epidemiological situation rather than administrative boundaries. They also stress the need for enhanced surveillance and review of fencing policies.

In Asia, the Philippines is grappling with active ASF outbreaks in 11 regions, with Luzon and Mindanao being the most affected. The Philippine government has allocated PHP 350 million (US$6 million) for ASF vaccination, with plans to distribute 600,000 doses of the AVAC live vaccine manufactured in Vietnam. 

However, Vietnam itself faces challenges with ASF vaccine uptake, particularly among small-scale farmers, due to cost and limited awareness.

In South Africa, ASF outbreaks continue, with new cases reported in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape. Since April 2019, the country has recorded 198 outbreaks, impacting nearly 74,000 domestic pigs.

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.