African swine fever detected in nearly 1,500 wild boar in 2016
Nearly 800 wild boar carcasses infected with African swine fever (ASF) have been found in Estonia's forests in 2016, while an additional nearly 700 hunted wild boars have been documented as carrying the disease.
As of Dec. 19, ASF has been detected in a total of 1,491 wild boars across Estonia.
By county, the highest number of cases of the disease in hunted animals and carcasses found in the wild combined were recorded in Tartu County (193), followed by Lääne-Viru (192), Jõgeva and Põlva Counties (187 each).
The first case of ASF was confirmed in Estonia on Sept. 8, 2014, when an EU reference laboratory in Spain confirmed the presence of the disease in a sample collected from a wild boar carcass found in Hummuli, Valga County.
The first cases of ASF in domestic pigs were diagnosed by the Estonian Veterinary and Food Board (VTA) in July 21, 2015.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
