African swine fever: Suspected case of ASF confirmed in German company

Created: 03/07/2022 04:49

By: Mark Stoffers

African swine fever has been detected for the first time in a pig farm in the Emsland district.

(Iconic image) © Countrypixel/imago

ASP has reached Lower Saxony.

African swine fever has been detected in a pig farm.

Confirmation came from Minister Barbara Otte-Kinast.

Update from July 2, 2022 at 1:30 p.m.:

The suspicion of the first case of African swine fever in Lower Saxony has been confirmed by the Friedrich Loeffler Institute: This was announced by Agriculture Minister Barbara Otte-Kinast (CDU) in Hanover.

ASF in Lower Saxony: First case of African swine fever in Emsbüren confirmed by minister

"Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time," explained the minister during a specially convened press conference in Hanover.

This is "a hard, emotional blow for the pig farmers in our country".

In the pig farm affected by the ASF case in Emsbüren, 280 sows and around 1,500 piglets were kept.

All animals would be killed on Sunday to prevent the spread of African swine fever.

African swine fever: ASF first detected in Germany in 2020

The first case of African swine fever in Germany was only confirmed on September 10, 2020.

At that time, the animal disease was detected in a wild boar in Brandenburg.

Since then, outbreaks of ASF have been found in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony.

In mid-July last year, swine fever spread to domestic pigs in livestock for the first time in Germany - again in Brandenburg.

African swine fever: There is no vaccine or cure for swine for ASF

ASF is a contagious viral disease in domestic and wild pigs that is almost always fatal and incurable.

In addition, there is no chance of protecting the pigs with preventive vaccination.

ASF can be transmitted directly from animal to animal or indirectly by humans to other areas via contaminated objects such as clothing, shoes and feed.

However, African swine fever is not dangerous for humans or other animal species.

African swine fever in Lower Saxony: First suspected case of ASF in the Emsland district confirmed by the minister

First report from July 2, 2022 at 8:35 a.m.:

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Hanover – Has African swine fever reached Lower Saxony?

Or so it seems.

African swine fever (ASF) has been detected in a pig farm in the Emsland district.

The findings of the State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES) are available, the Ministry of Agriculture in Hanover announced on Friday evening.

This is reported by kreiszeitung.de.

The official test results from the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) are therefore expected in the course of the morning on Saturday.

After that, Agriculture Minister Barbara Otte-Kinast (CDU) intends to officially comment on the suspected case and the findings.

So far there has been no evidence in Lower Saxony.

African swine fever in Lower Saxony: ASF is feared because of the economic damage to pig farmers

According to LAVES, the animal disease only occurs in wild and domestic pigs.

The disease usually ends fatally for the animals, so that the majority of pigs fall victim to ASF.

Therefore, African swine fever is not only feared by pig farmers in Lower Saxony.

An outbreak always means high economic damage for livestock owners.

ASF: Is African Swine Fever Dangerous to Humans?

ASF is harmless to humans.

African swine fever is not transmitted to humans through eating pork or through animal contact.

ASP: What happens when African swine fever breaks out?

In the event of an outbreak of African swine fever on an officially confirmed farm, all pigs must be killed immediately and disposed of safely.

If a suspected case is officially confirmed, pigs from contact farms can also be culled.

In addition, two protection zones will be set up around the company to contain the highly contagious animal disease.

While African swine fever has not yet been officially confirmed, the district of Oldenburg has had to deal with cases of avian influenza.

The district of Diepholz also had to deal with avian influenza in 2022.

And now ASF in a pig farm, after hunters had already hunted wild boar for fear of African swine fever.