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Swine fever is almost always fatal and incurable
Photo: Sina Schuldt / dpa
African swine fever broke out on a farm in Baden-Württemberg.
This was announced by the Baden-Württemberg Minister of Agriculture Peter Hauk (CDU).
Within five days, 16 of 35 domestic pigs had died in the Forchheim farm in the Emmendingen district by Wednesday.
The Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), which is responsible for animal diseases, examined the deceased animals and confirmed the virus in two cases on Wednesday evening.
According to Hauk, the other animals have since been killed.
There is no danger to human health, pork can continue to be consumed.
According to Hauk, it is unclear how the virus got into the company.
The cause is probably “human action”.
The pigs were kept in the open air with double protection.
A surveillance zone with a radius of ten kilometers will be set up around the Forchheim plant.
It extends over the districts of Emmendingen, Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald and the Ortenaukreis.
No pig out, no pig in
According to Hauk, the transport of pigs, sperm, egg cells and embryos of pigs is prohibited in the exclusion zone.
Slurry, manure and bedding from pigs should not come out of the farms.
First of all, the following applies: "No pig out, no pig in," said Hauk.
Exceptions are only possible under strict conditions.
Since the disease broke out in domestic pigs, plant products such as feed, straw or other agricultural products such as beef, fruit and vegetables are not affected by the restrictions.
According to Hauk, there is currently no evidence that the pathogen has infected wild boar.
Nevertheless, wild boars in the area would also have to be examined for swine fever in the coming weeks.
Fallen game is also examined.
Search teams with drones in action
From Friday, teams of two will be out with a dog to look out for carcasses.
The search teams would be flanked outside of forest areas by drone teams with thermal imaging cameras, said Hauk.
African swine fever (ASF) is a severe viral infection that only affects wild boar and domestic pigs.
It is almost always fatal and incurable.
The disease is harmless to humans or other animal species.
First it had spread in Eastern Europe.
On September 10, 2020, a first case of ASF was confirmed in a wild boar in Germany.
Since then, further cases have occurred in Brandenburg, Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
taf/AFP/dpa