Protective fences against swine fever: Olpe and Siegen-Wittgenstein affected!

Protective fences against swine fever: Olpe and Siegen-Wittgenstein affected!

In a worrying development to combat African swine fever (ASF), extensive protective measures were taken in the Olpe and Siegen-Wittgenstein districts. This takes the form of protective fences that are both mobile and permanently installed. The background to these measures is the first detection of ASF a month ago in Kirchhundem, where several dead wild boars were examined. The experts discovered that around 40 carcasses in the Olpe and Siegen-Wittgenstein districts tested positive for the virus infection. In order to prevent the spread of the disease, these fences are impressive and extend over several kilometers - a challenge for the construction work due to the geographical conditions of the region, as the Borkener Zeitung reports.

African swine fever is a highly contagious viral infection that affects both wild and domestic pigs and is fatal in almost all affected animals; however, it is harmless to humans. If an ASF infection occurs in a domestic pig population, the entire herd is usually killed. As a precautionary measure, the authorities in the Hochsauerland district have also imposed protective measures, although no cases have occurred there so far. The establishment of exclusion zones and the regulation of hunting and forestry in the affected areas will be part of an overall containment strategy, report WDR Nachrichten.

Prevention and control

The authorities are concentrating on preventing further outbreaks and are implementing various measures. Hunters in Münsterland are allowed to use night vision devices to better detect wild boars and receive special sample sets to examine all dead animals found. Smaller pig breeders, particularly in the Coesfeld district, are subject to more intensive controls in order to minimize contact between wild and domestic pigs. These measures are necessary because exclusion zones have existed in other federal states for years to keep the animal disease at bay.

Agriculture Minister Silke Gorißen defends the measures, but emphasizes that they should remain within what is reasonable for citizens. Special gates or ramps should also be installed for forest visitors and those authorized to hunt in order to continue to ensure a certain degree of mobility. However, some events, such as the Rothaarsteig Marathon, have to be canceled due to the current exclusion zones in order to guarantee safety.

A look at the current situation

ASF has been spreading in Europe since 2014 and has already affected numerous German federal states. This shows how immense the challenges are for animal health and how important preventive measures are to prevent further spread. There are repeated outbreaks nationwide that are transmitted, for example, through direct contact between wild and farmed pigs or through contaminated food. Therefore, numerous control and monitoring procedures have been installed, which also include cooperation with neighboring countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic, as the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture informs.