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JUNE 28, 2017
African Swine Fever (ASF) has been detected in the Czech Republic for the first time, confirming further spread of the virus in Eastern Europe.
The virus was confirmed in two wild boar by the country?s National Veterinary Research Institute (Reference Laboratory) on Tuesday (June 27), after samples were collected from a wild boar found dead last week.
The infected animals were found in Zlin, 300 km (186 miles) south-east of the capital Prague, State Veterinary Administration (SVS) spokesman Petr Vorlicek said. According to Reuters, a 10-km sanitary perimeter has been established including a farm with around 5,000 pigs that are being inspected. If the infection is detected, all the animals will be culled.
The Czech Republic becomes the latest country to be affected after the disease had been detected in recent years in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and, for the first time in October, Moldova.
Data from the OIE, the international animal health body, shows five cases have also been confirmed in Poland alone over the past 11 days, plus cases in Russia and Lithuania.
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