The residents of Valozhyn district (Minsk region) have been prohibited from keeping hogs until January 8, 2014.
Earlier the local administration warned that all hogs should be culled before July 8. According to them, owners could sell the meat to state-run organizations. At the same time, the authorities stressed that people could be fined or even sentenced to prison if they failed to obey the ban. If any hogs are detected during house-to house rounding they will be seized without paying any compensation to their hosts.
Valozhyn district borders on Ivye district (Hrodna region), where African swine fever broke out last month. At the beginning of July another outbreak of ASFV was reported at a hog farm in Vitsebsk region.
Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia introduced a temporary ban on shipments of pigs and pig meat from Belarus. The European Union expressed concern over spreading the disease in Belarus. “If a single centre of infection is found in Latvia or Lithuania it will cause freezing exports from all the countries of the bloc,” Jonas Milus, Head of the Lithuanian Veterinary and Food Agency, said.
African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of African swine fever (ASF). The virus causes a haemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates in pigs. ASF does not pose a threat to life and health of people.
Belsat, following BelaPAN
