Completion of evacuation at the site of a swine fever outbreak

Epidemic among animals - Completion of evacuation at the site of a swine fever outbreak

In Friedberg near Pasewalk (Vorpommern-Greifswald district), a pig farm was affected by an outbreak of African swine fever. On Monday, Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) shared that a special company had successfully removed the entire herd from the farm. The herd consisted of approximately 3,500 pigs.

Earlier last week, two pigs on the farm had shown signs of a high fever, prompting samples to be sent to the national reference laboratory, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute. The lab confirmed the presence of African swine fever. This led to the initiation of appropriate animal disease control measures.

To ensure that only the domestic pigs were affected by the outbreak, authorities are now conducting a search around the affected farm using a drone, looking for any deceased wild boars. So far, none have been found. The outbreak farm is now under a quarantine zone, made up of a protection zone and a surveillance zone. More than 50 pig farms in the area are affected by this quarantine, stated Backhaus. The ministry's veterinary office will begin biosecurity checks in those farms.

African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease afflicting both domestic and wild pigs, typically resulting in a fatal and incurable outcome. There is currently no way to protect pigs with vaccinations. This disease can be transferred between animals directly or indirectly through contaminated objects such as clothing, shoes, and feed. It can also spread to other areas through humans. However, African swine fever is not contagious or dangerous for humans or any other animal species.

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1. In response to the African swine fever outbreak in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's District of Vorpommern-Greifswald, authorities are closely monitoring nearby food distribution centers to prevent any potential contamination.
2. Germany's government is urging farmers in the District of Vorpommern-Greifswald to report any unusual symptoms observed in their pig herds, following the African swine fever outbreak in Friedberg.
3. The SPD-led state government in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has allocated additional funding to bolster agricultural surveillance and support affected farms in the face of the African swine fever breakout.
4. The town of Rostock, located not far from the outbreak site, has announced heightened food safety inspections, seeking to mitigate any potential risks arising from the African swine fever in the District of Vorpommern-Greifswald.
5. Local authorities in the District of Vorpommern-Greifswald have implored hunters to be vigilant in identifying and reporting any dead wild boars, as part of efforts to curb the spread of African swine fever in the region.
6. The German Farmers' Association (DBV) has called on the federal government to expedite the development of a vaccine for African swine fever, in light of the ongoing crisis in the District of Vorpommern-Greifswald.
7. Till Backhaus, the Agriculture Minister, has assured farmers in the district that the government will provide financial aid to those whose businesses have been affected by the African swine fever-induced eviction from their fattening farms in Pasewalk.
8. Despite the challenges posed by the African swine fever outbreak, farmers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania remain optimistic about the future, citing their resilience and the support of their community in times of adversity.

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