Sweden is the 24th country in Europe to report outbreaks of ASF within its borders
A wild boar with its piglets. Photo: Istock Fifty pigs will be culled in the county of Västmanland in central Sweden after the detection of African Swine Fever (ASF) in more wild boar in the area, the Swedish Veterinary Institute (SVA) said in a statement on its website on September 11, 2023.
“On Monday 11 September, the Swedish Board of Agriculture decided that all domestic pigs in the infected zone should be killed. There are about 50 pigs spread over five farms,” the SVA statement noted.
“Affected animal owners have been informed of the decision. They will be compensated financially… It is not allowed to introduce new pigs into the infected zone,” the statement added.
It was on September 7 that ASF was first detected in “a sample from 7 wild boar found just south-east of Fagersta, a town at 145 km north west of the capital of Sweden, Stockholm,” the portal Pig Progress had reported.
On September 11, the SVA revealed that ASF had been detected in six more wild boar, taking the total number of infected boar to 13. The new cases were also reported from the vicinity of Fagersta.
“We understand that this affects people’s lives both emotionally and financially. But we need to do everything we can to reduce the risks of further proliferation,” the SVA statement added.
It said killing pigs was “a preventive measure”. “Other countries that have managed to get rid of the infection have done the same, such as Belgium. It is a well-proven method,” the organisation said.
The Swedish Board of Agriculture has fenced off the infected area. Personnel are searching the region outside for more wild boar that might have been infected with ASF.
ASF is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. In 2018, the disease spread to Asia, where it led to severe economic losses for piggeries.
In India, the disease appeared in 2020 in the Northeast and has led to substantial losses for piggeries in the region.
According to Pig Progress, “Sweden is the 24th country in Europe to report outbreaks of ASF within its borders”. ASF has also been detected in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina this summer, it added.
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