A pig farm in northern Germany began culling all of its 4,000 animals on Wednesday after a case of African swine fever was confirmed there.
The outbreak near Guestrow, about 185 kilometres northwest of Berlin, is the first at a large pig farm in Germany. Cases in wild boars were first reported in Germany last year, followed by outbreaks in smallholdings.
African swine fever is usually deadly for pigs but doesn’t affect humans. It has spread in several European countries, leading to large-scale culls of wild boars and farmed pigs.
German farmers had been dreading the arrival of swine fever as it will impact the pork industry.
Denmark, another major pork exporter, recently stepped up measures to prevent ASF from entering the country from its southern neighbour.
However, officials said they don’t know how the disease entered the farm near Guestrow.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and FAO have launched a joint initiative for the Global Control of ASF.
“Today, African swine fever affected 51 countries. Amid the difficult situation posed by COVID-19, ASF continues to spread, intensifying the current health and socioeconomic crises,” said Dr Matthew Stone, OIE Deputy Director General for International Standards and Science.
Many countries that detected ASF lack sufficient human, financial or technical resources to rapidly detect, respond and contain animal diseases.
“In this globalised world, where diseases can spread rapidly across borders, timely sharing of latest scientific information, international collaboration and notification will prevent transboundary spread and minimise impact,” said FAO Deputy Director-General, Maria Helena Semedo.
