Alarm in Olpe: Dead wild boar positive for African swine fever!

Alarm in Olpe: Dead wild boar positive for African swine fever!

There is currently a worrying suspected case in Olpe: A hunter discovered a dead wild boar that tested positive for African swine fever (ASF). This information has been confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection. However, the final confirmation is through this Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) still out.

Wild boars testing positive are not uncommon, but this is an isolated case. In order to prevent the disease from spreading in the region, preventive measures were immediately initiated. A coordination group to combat ASF has been set up, the main aim of which is to limit the disease to a limited area and prevent it from spreading to domestic pig populations if the test results confirm previous findings.

African swine fever at a glance

ASF is a highly contagious viral infection that affects both wild and domestic pigs and is almost always fatal for them. However, the viruses are harmless to people and other pets. This animal disease, originally limited to Africa, has spread to many countries around the world since it first appeared in Georgia in 2007. Cases are becoming known again and again in European countries, and since 2014 the disease has been spreading in Europe to a worrying extent, specifically in southeastern countries.

• Erste Ausbrüche in der EU: 2014 in Litauen, Polen und weiteren Ländern
• Infektionsraten unter Wildschweinen in Deutschland: Fälle in Brandenburg, Sachsen, und anderen Bundesländern
• Erneute Ausbrüche 2021 bis 2023 in mehreren Bundesländern, auch in gehaltenen Beständen

The dangers posed by wild and kept pigs should not be underestimated. In addition to direct contact between infected animals, contaminated food also poses a risk of transmission. Leftover food that is carelessly disposed of can attract wild boars and lead to infection. The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture informs and sensitizes the public on these issues in order to prevent the spread of ASF.

The next steps

The authorities' measures are clear: if the suspicion is confirmed, affected animals must be killed immediately and disposed of harmlessly. In addition, exclusion zones will be set up, which will result in movement restrictions for live pigs and their products. The long-term goal remains the early detection and control of the animal disease in order to prevent an outbreak and widespread spread.

Developments surrounding ASF are a high priority in the region, as the immense economic importance of pig farming is at stake. Every precautionary measure can help protect a well-oiled system and limit the spread of this dangerous animal disease. Stay tuned, we will keep you updated on the further situation.