- North Rhine-Westphalia prepares to fight African swine fever
North Rhine-Westphalia prepares for a possible outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF). "African Swine Fever is once again looming at our doorstep," NRW Minister of Agriculture Silke Gorißen (CDU) warned in an interview with the Düsseldorf "Rheinische Post" (Tuesday). "In the end, an outbreak of swine fever in NRW is no longer a question of if, but when, as ASF is a highly infectious disease," said Gorißen. The state has been preparing for this for a long time.
No leftovers at rest areas
Once again, the minister warned travelers, truck drivers, and commuters not to carelessly discard food leftovers such as sandwiches at rest areas. The virus can also be transmitted and spread through clothing, shoes, or car tires. Besides direct contact with infected wild boars, human behavior is considered the main transmission source of ASF.**
High alert on farms
Farmers have significantly stepped up their security measures, said Gorißen. This includes hygiene measures before entering stables, reduced vehicle use on the farm, and strict separation of livestock from wild animals. In pig farms, this animal disease, for which there is no vaccination, can cause significant economic damage. The state has also increased the deployment of specially trained search dog units in the forests.**
Fatal for pigs
ASF was recently also detected in the neighboring federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse. The viral disease is incurable and almost always fatal for wild and domestic pigs. According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, it is harmless to humans and other animal species.**
Gorißen also called on hunters to help: "Wild boar populations have grown. Hunters are also increasingly called upon to contribute to a good reduction in numbers." However, she also warned against hunting tourism in regions where ASF has already broken out.
Travelers, truck drivers, and commuters should be cautious not to leave food leftovers, such as sandwiches, at rest areas, as African Swine Fever (ASF) can be transmitted and spread through clothing, shoes, or car tires besides direct contact with infected wild boars. Given the looming threat of ASF and its status as a highly infectious disease, farmers in North Rhine-Westphalia have increased their security measures on pig farms, implementing hygiene measures before entering stables, reducing vehicle use, and strictly separating livestock from wild animals, as an outbreak of swine fever in NRW is no longer a question of if, but when.
