The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) latest report shows that the number of outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) in pigs and wild boar in the EU was significantly lower in 2022 compared to 2021.
In 2022, outbreaks in domestic pigs in the EU decreased by 79% on 2021, with particular reductions noted in Romania, Poland and Bulgaria, whereas Lithuania registered a small increase. Eight EU countries (Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia) and four non-EU neighbouring countries (Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine) reported pig outbreaks.
Romania suffered the highest number of outbreaks (327) representing 87% of the total for the EU, while North Macedonia reported its first ASF outbreak.
40% fewer cases of the disease in wild boar were reported in the EU in 2022 compared to 2021, the first decrease in reported cases in the area since its introduction in 2014. 11 EU member states (Czechia, Estonia and Hungary, in addition to those with domestic pig outbreaks) and four non-EU countries (Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine) reported ASF in wild boar.
Bernard Url, EFSA’s executive director, said: “Over the last decade, African swine fever has had a dramatic impact on the pig farming sector in the EU and continues to disrupt local and regional economies. While our latest report shows encouraging signs that efforts to halt the spread of the virus may be taking effect, the picture across the EU is by no means universally positive and we must remain vigilant. Farmers, hunters and vets have a particularly important role to play in reporting suspicious cases.”
EFSA’s StopASF Campaign
In an effort to control the spread of the virus, EFSA is extending its StopASF campaign which raises awareness among farmers, hunters and veterinarians in the EU and surrounding countries about the detection, prevention and reporting of ASF.
The campaign is run in partnership with local authorities in eighteen countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia.