Veterinary board warns of potential for ASF outbreaks on farms over winter
Last Friday, Lithuania identified its 19th outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) of the year in domestic pigs, which confirmed that the virus can infect pig farms even during the fall and winter seasons.
"While ASF has not reached domestic pig farms during the winter season in Estonia thus far, we have no reason to believe that it will not happen," said Olev Kalda, deputy director general of the Estonian Veterinary and Food Board (ETA).
"Samples taken from hunted wild boars show that the virus has spread among wild boars just as extensively as before," he noted.
The VTA stressed that in order to prevent the further spread of disease, wild boar numbers must continue to be reduced and potentially infectious carcasses must continue to be removed from the wild.
ASF has been diagnosed on a total of six Estonian farms in 2016: three in Jõgeva County, one in Järva County, one in Lääne-Viru County and one in Saaremaa.
Editor: Aili Vahtla