Poland: update ASF situation

ASF situation in Poland is not improving. 8 new outbreaks of ASF in pig herds have been confirmed recently, reaching the number of 97 outbreaks this year. The situation in wild boars is also not optimistic, with high numbers in affected regions and  infected wild boar found outside the ASF restricted areas.

Beeld: C. Spaans

ASF outbreaks in pigs

The Chief Veterinary Officer informed about the designation of new outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in pigs in the territory of the Republic of Poland. The outbreaks were confirmed in farms in 4 provinces Poland: Mazowieckie, Lubelskie, Podkarpackie and Wielkopolskie.

In Mazowieckie province 2 outbreaks were confirmed (2020/90 and 2020/94). The first one in backyard farm, but the second one in commercial farm, located in an infected area established in connection with the ASF outbreak No. 2020/90.

In Podkarpackie province one outbreak (2020/92) was confirmed in backyard farm, located in a hazard area (blue zone, area defined in part III of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU).

In Lubelskie province one outbreak (2020/91) was confirmed in a commercial farm located in a hazard area (blue zone, area defined in part III of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU). Additionally, in the north of the province 3 outbreaks (2020/93, 2020/95, 2020/96) were confirmed in backyard farms, which were contact farms to outbreak no. 2020/93, located in an infected area established in connection with the earlier ASF outbreaks in Lubartów district.

In Wielkopolskie province one outbreak (2020/97) was confirmed in backyard farm, identified as a contact farm to the outbreak No. 2020/88, found earlier in Kaliski district. Intensified surveillance covered all farms recognized as contact and so far positive results of laboratory tests were obtained only in this one farm.

map of Poland with marked latest ASF cases
Beeld: ©A.Galica

In accordance with the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1316 of 21 September 2020, extended ASF regionalization was established in Poland. The hazard areas (blue zone, area defined in part III of the Annex to EC Decision 2014/709/EU) were extended in the south-east (Podkarpackie province) and west of Poland (Lubuskie and Wielkopolskie provinces), Additionally, as a result of outbreak no. 88, the hazard area with the buffer zone was created in the eastern part of Wielkopolskie province.

ASF cases in wild boars

The detection of ASF infected animals continues in the restricted areas, increasing by app. 50 cases a week. The number of reported cases reached 3.258 (as of 24 September 2020). Most new cases are found in Lubuskie (west of Poland, bordering Germany) and Warminsko-Mazurskie (north-east of Poland) provinces.

Unfortunately, recently the case no. 3270 of infected wild boar was confirmed in Oborniki district, Wielkopolskie province (west of Poland), so far free from ASF. The disease was confirmed in a wild boar from a traffic accident in the village of Kowanówko (Oborniki commune, Oborniki district), about 25 kilometers north of Poznań. It is a region so far free of both cases and outbreaks.

wild boar
Beeld: ©A.Galica

Approximately twenty kilometers from the site of detection of the discussed case, the extent of the blue zone begins, established after the detection of an ASF outbreak at a pig farm in the commune of Dopiewo near Poznań (outbreak no. 2020/2 – contact farm to the first outbreak in neighbouring Lubuskie province). Unfortunately, the occurrence of wild boar ASF in this area may complicate the situation of producers from the zone – after establishing the zone in April 2020, lifting of the ASF restrictions was expected this autumn, however, the occurrence of ASF infected wild boar in the vicinity may significantly hinder these efforts.

The Oborniki district is another area of ​​Wielkopolska province where wild boar ASF has been confirmed. This year, the disease has already appeared in Wolsztyn, Leszno and Grodzisk districts. Since January, more than 160 cases of ASF have been detected in the province. At the same time, 6 ASF outbreaks in pig herds were confirmed in the region so far.

Source: PL CVO, farmer.pl