New ASF outbreak in backyard pig farm in south-western Poland

On 23 June 2020 the Chief Veterinary Officer informed about the designation of the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in pigs in the territory of the Republic of Poland.

kleine varkentjes met moeder in de stal

The 5th outbreak of ASF in Poland in 2020, was confirmed on the basis of the results of tests obtained from the national reference laboratory for ASF, in a farm where 23 pigs (10 piglets, 11 fattening pigs and 2 sows) were kept, located in the town of Dalków, in the commune of Gaworzyce, in the Polkowice district, in the Dolnośląskie province.

The farm is located in a restricted area (part II of the Annex to Commission Implementing Decision No. 2014/709/EU).

On the farm where the ASF outbreak was designated, procedures related to the eradication of the disease were implemented.

map of Poland showing the 3rd ASF outbreak in 2020 located in Wielkopolskie region
Beeld: ©A.Galica

This is the first outbreak of ASF in Dolnoslaskie province, however the fourth one this year in the west of Poland. So far, in the region two outbreaks were noted in the commercial pig herd (in Lubuskie province and the contact farm in Wielkopolskie province) and one more in the backyard farm (outbreak no. 4 in 2020, noted in Wielkopolskie province).

The 5th outbreak was noted in a backyard farm in a region where ASF is found in wild boars, thus, there is an increased risk of ASF virus transmission to pig herds. Due to the detection of the outbreak in a new area, protection and surveillance zone have been designated and  the hazard area (part II of the Annex to Commission Implementing Decision

No. 2014/709/EU) will have to be established, in accordance with the EU legislation. The sale of pigs and pig movement will be limited in that zones.

Source: PL CVO, agropolska.pl