Estonian veterinary authority suspects African swine fever on Saaremaa farm
The Estonian Veterinary and Food Board (VTA) has suspected the presence of African swine fever (ASF) on a farm with more than 2,000 pigs on the Western Estonian island of Saaremaa.
Samples were taken on the farm and sent to a lab for testing, the results of which will become clear on Wednesday, said VTA Deputy Director General Olev Kalda. So far, ASF had not been discovered on the islands of Western Estonia.
"We received information about an increased death rate on the farm last night, and although ASF has not been diagnosed on Saaremaa before, we took samples which were sent to a lab," Kalda explained in a press release.
As on Tuesday morning, more than 30 pigs had died on the farm since the previous Friday, he clarified.
Thus far, Saare County and Hiiu Counties are the only Estonian counties in which the European Commission has not established any zones of control for the spread of ASF.
Five sources of infection with ASF have been detected in Estonia so far in 2016. During 2015, a total of 18 sources of infection were identified and more than 22,000 domestic pigs were killed as a result.
The first case of ASF in Estonia was diagnosed on Sept. 8, 2014.
Editor: Editor: Aili Sarapik
Source: BNS