First report emerges of African swine fever case in Hesse region
Swine fever, a deadly and incurable viral disease, afflicts both domestic and wild pigs, with cases in Germany being relatively rare. Recently, this disease has been confirmed in a wild boar in Hessen, marking the first instance in this federal state. The deceased animal was hunted in the Landkreis Groß-Gerau, with the B-sample of a test returning positive, as confirmed by Torsten Reinwald, spokesperson for the German Hunting Association. Consequently, a hunting ban has been imposed on all wildlife species across the entire district area, as announced on Reinwald's website.
This contagious disease is potentially fatal for pigs and can be transmitted directly between animals or indirectly through contaminated items such as clothing, shoes, food, and human intervention. However, humans and other animal species are not at risk of contracting or being harmed by the disease.
Reinwald suspects the virus may have been spread by humans, possibly through waste products. The district veterinary office and numerous hunters are currently tracking down possible infected animals, with drones being used in the search efforts.
Reinwald advises the public to report any suspicious or deceased wild boars to the police immediately and maintain a safe distance from them, particularly to prevent the virus's spread through shoe soles. According to Reinwald, the main areas of infection in Germany have been Saxony and Brandenburg, but there have also been isolated cases in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Baden-Württemberg.
