Significant increase in ASF outbreaks in pig farms in Poland

Twelve new outbreaks of ASF in pig herds have recently been confirmed in Poland, reaching the number of 32 outbreaks this year. All new outbreaks are recorded in ASF restricted zones, forming the clusters with increased risk and high virus pressure from the environment.

pig behind a fence
Beeld: ©A.Galica

The Chief Veterinary Officer marked on the map the designation of 12 new outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in pigs in the territory of the Republic of Poland, however without supplying detailed information about all affected farms. Three of them are noted in the cluster in Lubelskie province (east of Poland), five in a different cluster also in Lubelskie province. One outbreak was noted in Podkarpackie province (east of Poland), one in a farm in south of Warsaw in Mazowieckie province and one in Lubuskie province in the west of Poland.

Outbreak no. 21

was detected on a farm where 6 pigs (4 fattening pigs and 2 sows) were kept, located in the town of Szpikołosy, Hrubieszów commune, Hrubieszowski district, Lubelskie province; The farm is located in a restricted area (area defined in part II of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF in wild boars was noted

Outbreak no. 22

was detected on a farm where 16 pigs (8 piglets, 5 weaners, 3 sows) were kept, located in Stefankowice, Hrubieszów commune, Hrubieszowski district, Lubelskie province; The farm is located in a restricted area (area defined in part II of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF in wild boars was noted.

board with warning about ASF zone in Poland
Beeld: ©A.Galica

Outbreak no. 23

was detected on a farm where 3 pigs (2 fattening pigs, 1 sow) were kept, located in Stefankowice, in the Hrubieszów commune, Hrubieszów district, Lubelskie province; The farm is located in a restricted area (area defined in part II of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF in wild boars was noted.

Outbreak No. 24

was detected on a farm where 9 pigs (7 fattening pigs, 2 sows) were kept, located in Brody, in the Stary Sulechów commune, Zielona Góra district, Lubuskie province; The farm is located in a hazard area (area defined in part III of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF both in wild boars and in pig farms was noted.

Outbreak no. 25

was detected on a farm where 1 pig (fattening pig) was kept, located in the town of Ułazów, Stary Dzików commune, Lubaczów district, Podkarpackie province; The farm is located in a hazard area (area defined in part III of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF both in wild boars and in pig farms was noted.

kleine varkentjes met moeder in de stal

Outbreak no. 26

was detected on a farm where 1024 pigs (79 sows, 350 piglets, 290 weaners, 304 fattening pigs and 1 boar) were kept, located in Zabura, Radecznica commune, Zamość district, Lubelskie province; The farm is located in a hazard area (area defined in part III of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF both in wild boars and in pig farms was noted.

Outbreak no. 27

Biłgoraj commune, Biłgoraj district, Lubelskie province; The farm is located in a hazard area (area defined in part III of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF both in wild boars and in pig farms was noted.

Outbreak no. 28

Werbkowice commune, Hrubieszów district, Lubelskie province; The farm is located in a restricted area (area defined in part II of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF in wild boars was noted.

Outbreak no. 29

Żmudź commune, Chełm district, Lubelskie province; The farm is located in a restricted area (area defined in part II of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF in wild boars was noted.

Outbreak no. 30

Trojanów commune, Garwolin district, Mazowieckie province; The farm is located in a hazard area (area defined in part III of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF both in wild boars and in pig farms was noted.

Outbreak no. 31

Michów commune, Lubartowski district, Lubelskie province; The farm is located in a restricted area (area defined in part II of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF in wild boars was noted.

Outbreak no. 32

Goraj commune, Biłgoraj district, Lubelskie province; The farm is located in a hazard area (area defined in part III of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU), where previously ASF both in wild boars and in pig farms was noted.

map of Poland with marked new asf outbreaks in the podkarpackie and lubuskie region
Beeld: ©A.Galica

July and beginning of August turned out to be fatal for the development of the African swine fever epidemic in Poland, reaching the number of 32 outbreaks detected on farms on both sides of the country. The disease is already present in one third of Poland's territory.

Summer increase in the number of outbreaks is the six-year seasonal effect of accelerating ASF development in the summer months. The virus is also becoming more and more common among wild boars - the detected number of sick and dead animals exceeded last year's numbers.

In total, throughout 2019, 48 ASF outbreaks were detected in pigs and 2477 cases in wild boar. This year there are 32 outbreaks (until 5 August 2020), but 2915 cases in wild boars (until 31 July 2020). The virus usually makes the most progress in summer. - We do not know the reasons for this seasonality, whether it is due to the fact that farmers are still careless and put machines that drive around the fields near the pig houses, be it flies or feed contamination - says Aleksander Dargiewicz, president of the PolPig breeders' association.

While some countries, such as the Czech Republic or Belgium, were able to implement decisive measures and get rid of the virus in a short time, in Poland, yet none of the remedial steps taken has proved to be excessively effective.

asf map of poland with marked asf zones
Beeld: ©A.Galica

The virus reaches both small and large farms, in the east and west of Poland. In the east we can observe the clusters of recent outbreaks, located in the areas of huge numbers of ASF infected wild boars found dead or shot. In the west, with high virus pressure from the environment, relatively small number of outbreaks was detected. Also, when looking at the number of infected pig farms, mostly backyard farms (17, out of 26 with available information) are affected.

Source: PL CVO, Farmer.pl