Spain Confirms Return of African Swine Fever
The highly contagious pathogen—lethal to pigs and wild boar but posing no threat to humans—threatens Spain's pork industry, the European Union's largest, government officials warned.
Oscar Ordeig, agriculture minister for the Catalan government, acknowledged the virus could deliver a "big" economic blow while emphasizing authorities' swift action.
Both boars were discovered dead Wednesday approximately one kilometer (0.6 miles) apart near the Autonomous University of Barcelona campus.
Emergency protocols are now in effect to contain transmission, including an immediate suspension of all pork and pork product exports, Catalan officials announced during a press conference.
A 20-kilometer (12-mile) containment zone has been established, encompassing 39 farms within its boundaries. Rural agents are conducting intensive searches throughout the area for additional dead wild boars.
Spain's Agriculture Ministry traced the virus's EU entry point to Russia, spreading into the Baltic States and Poland in 2014. Thirteen other nations currently battle outbreaks, including Italy and Germany.
"Since the disease entered the EU, Belgium, Sweden and the Czech Republic succeeded in eradicating it after applying strict control and surveillance measures in wild boar populations, following isolated long-distance jumps – similar to the case now detected in Spain," the ministry stated.
The European Food Safety Authority warns eradication can require multiple years, with no vaccines or treatments currently available.
"Areas affected by the virus suffer significant financial losses due to the loss of animals, restrictions on movements of pigs, wild boar and their products, and the cost of control measures," the authority added.
Spain simultaneously faces a severe bird flu crisis, having mandated earlier this month that all farm birds remain confined indoors to prevent wild bird contact.
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