Finland confirmed its first cases of African Swine Fever (ASF), after laboratory tests found the virus in the remains of three wild boar in a forest within the municipality of Virolahti, near the Baltic Sea and less than 2 km from the Russian border. The virus was detected in two dead piglets and in a long bone of wild boar, found several hundred metres away.
Spreading through Europe
Finnish authorities established an infection zone around the area where the finding was made, and the movement of pigs in the zone is restricted. African swine fever has spread from Africa to Europe and Asia, causing major losses in pig populations, triggering trade restrictions and affecting global meat markets. In Europe, seventeen countries have been infected by ASF so far this year.
(photo ©Patrick Pahlke/Unsplash)