- Region responds to African swine fever in domestic pigs
After the initial detection of African Swine Fever in a domestic pig in Rheinland-Pfalz, the district of Bad Dürkheim has established an administrative task force. The task force is operating and deciding in close coordination with the actors involved in the Animal Disease Association, the administration in the Palatinate announced. They want to react appropriately to the challenges.
First Deputy District Administrator Timo Jordan asked the population for understanding for the far-reaching measures. "Only through a swift and restrictive reaction can the spread of the disease in the region and beyond be prevented," he emphasized.
Search for transmission paths
According to the Farmers' and Winegrowers' Association of Rhineland-Palatinate South, it is now important for the operations to adhere to the safety measures. How the infection occurred is unclear. The search for transmission paths is ongoing. It requires joint effort to contain the disease, a spokesperson for the association appealed.
The virus was detected in a small-scale operation with domestic pigs in Gerolsheim in a dead animal and two slaughtered animals. The samples sent to the State Investigation Office (LUA) tested positive, the district announced. The National Reference Laboratory has confirmed the first positive result. For the slaughtered animals, this is still pending. How the virus was introduced into the herd was initially unclear to the authorities.
So far, only wild boars
The first case of African Swine Fever in wild boars in Rhineland-Palatinate was detected on July 9 in Gimbsheim in the district of Alzey-Worms. So far, only wild boars have been affected in Rhineland-Palatinate. There are currently a total of 34 cases in the districts of Alzey-Worms and the district of Mainz-Bingen, according to the authorities.
Rhineland-Palatinate is also relying on an electric fence to combat the disease. It is intended to hinder animals from leaving their territories and spreading the disease. African Swine Fever was first detected in Germany in 2020 in Brandenburg in a wild boar. The disease runs almost always fatally for wild and domestic pigs. For humans and other animal species, it is harmless - even if you consume meat from infected animals.
Establishment of a containment zone
In Bad Dürkheim, it was said that further spread of the disease must be prevented - not least for reasons of animal welfare, as the virus is transmissible from domestic to wild boars and vice versa. Domestic pigs must be slaughtered in the event of an infection.
Due to the outbreak, a so-called containment zone III with a radius of ten kilometers around the affected operation is being established. Within the zone, there are strong restrictions on the trade in pigs and products from pork, as well as slaughtering. For example, the trade in live animals is generally prohibited. There is still no leash requirement for dogs, but it is strongly recommended not to let them run free. There are still 13 domestic pigs in a total of 7 operations in the zone.
The establishment of a containment zone is necessary to prevent the further spread of the disease, considering animal welfare and the transmissibility of African Swine Fever from domestic to wild boars. Understanding and adherence to the far-reaching measures are crucial to containing the disease, as the search for transmission paths continues.
