African swine fever (ASF) has been detected in domestic pigs in Latvia for the first time this year.
The virus has been circuIating widely in wild boar in the country. In the first six months of this year, it has already been detected in 601 wild boar in Latvia, and the number of infected animals is expected to continue to rise rapidly, after more than 1,000 wild boar were confirmed with the virus throughout last year.
Latvia’s public broadcaster ENG-LSM reports that a case in domestic pigs has now been found at a farm in Matīši parish, in Valmiera municipality. The disease was found in a small commercial holding with 527 pigs.
This is the first case of the disease detected in domestic pig holdings in Latvia this year, the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) said in a press release.
The PVD is carrying out eradication and containment measures as well as epidemiological investigations in the affected holding. All pigs in the holding will be slaughtered to eliminate the outbreak and prevent further spread of the disease.
A quarantine zone is established around the holding and other holdings located in the area will be subject to checks on the health status of pigs and compliance with biosecurity requirements, while restrictions on the movement of pigs and pig products have been imposed in the quarantine zone, it is reported.
Keepers of domestic pigs in Madona, Jēkabpils, Valmiera, Cēsis, Limbaži, Gulbene, Aizkraukle, Dobele, Ogre, and Tukums districts have been urged ti be be particularly careful, as these areas have the highest number of wild boar infections, which pose the biggest threat to diomestic pigs.