First cases of African swine fever found in four wild boars in Dobrich

First cases of infection with African swine fever virus (ASF) were found in four wild boars in Dobrich region (Northeastern Bulgaria). They were shot in a hunting farm on the land of the village of Bulgarevo, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) announced on 1^st of November.

By an order of the BFSA Executive Director, Dr. Damyan Iliev, measures have been imposed to prevent and limit the spread of the infection in accordance with the existing legislation. Areas of restriction have been created, oversight of wild and domestic swine is enhanced.

The BFSA will conduct ongoing ASF clinical examinations in domestic swine and will take samples from all dead wild boars and domestic pigs, or the ones showing signs of the disease. The samples will be taken in line with the implementation of the Disease Prevention and Control Programme in Bulgaria. Measures for domestic pigs are taken in order not to transfer the virus between wild and domestic animals.

At a meeting of the Regional Epizootic Commission in Dobrich today, the participants discussed the control measures and their implementation. Farm biosecurity is a key factor in protecting domestic pigs from getting infected with the ASF virus. Therefore, BFSA reminds that pigs in “backyard farms” should be kept closed and with enhanced biosecurity and should not have contact with wild pigs.