Close to Belarus border: Poland’s vets fighting African swine fever


Phot. Thornypup

The outbreak of African swine fever has been rcently discovered on the farm in Poland’s municipality Mielnik which is located 15 kilometers from the border with Belarus.

This is the sixth outbreak of ASF in the country  (the first was reported in February 2014), all of them happened in Podlasie (the north-east of Poland).

According to the Polish Veterinary Inspectorate, after the outbreak in Mielnik all required measures to eliminate African swine fever were taken.

In case of ASF, a so-called ‘gas zone’ (within a 3-km radius of its centre) and a ‘danger zone’ (7 km) are established. Then, all the farms in the territory given are kept under control. If it becomes necessary, further activities should be carried out.

A few days ago. ASF was recorded in the village of Rembiszewo (Podlasie).  To stop the spread of infection, over 500 pigs were put down.

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.

In 2013, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia introduced a temporary ban on shipments of pigs and pig meat from Belarus, where ASF broke out. Poland and Ukraine even wanted a fence on the border. The residents of a number of Belaruian districts were prohibited from keeping hogs.

Archival video, turn English subtitles on:

belsat.eu, following Pap.pl

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