- Reduction of African Swine Fever continues in the region of Köpping
African Swine Fever (ASF) has seen a reduction in spread within Saxony. Health Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) declared that significant sections of the quarantine region designed to tackle the animal illness have been lifted. Areas such as Northern and Central Saxony, the district of Meißen to the west of the A13, and western and southern sections of Dresden are now ASF-free. Regrettably, an all-clear cannot be declared for the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz yet.
The lifted constraints were put in place due to ASF events in the district of Meißen from 2021 to 2023. Presently, all ASF instances in local wild boar in the area are over a year old and are no longer viewed as active.
Since the initial ASF outbreak in October 2020, approximately 2,400 instances of ASF have been confirmed in Saxony. ASF cases have also been identified in wild boar in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Eastern Saxony continues to be affected
The districts of Bautzen and Görlitz, as well as a strip along the Polish border, are now considered high-risk areas in Saxony. ASF remains active in these areas (Containment Zone II), which is encircled by a buffer zone (Containment Zone I). This zone includes the remaining parts of the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz, the eastern district of Meißen, and eastern and northern districts of the state capital Dresden.
African Swine Fever is a viral illness that affects solely pigs. Almost always fatal and incurable, it doesn't lead to immunity in survivors, who can be reinfected. Presently, there's no way to protect pigs through vaccination. The disease can be transmitted directly between animals or indirectly through contaminated items and feed.
The district of Meißen, located in the Netherlands' neighboring country, Germany, was one of the areas impacted by ASF events from 2021 to 2023. In contrast, The Netherlands itself has not been mentioned in the context of the African Swine Fever outbreak discussed in this text.
