African swine fever: NRW on alert after outbreak!

African swine fever: NRW on alert after outbreak!

The outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) has reached North Rhine-Westphalia and is causing lively discussions. The first case of a positive wild boar was confirmed in the Olpe district in mid-June 2025. A hunter found the dead animal, which was then examined by the Westphalia Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office and the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI). Just two days later, on June 16, four more dead wild boars were discovered nearby. A total of five cases of ASF in wild boars have now been verified in North Rhine-Westphalia, which sends a serious signal to the region. Like the Unna district were reported Restriction zones with a radius of around 15 kilometers have been set up around the sites to contain the disease.

What is particularly worrying is that ASF is almost always fatal for pigs, but is completely harmless to humans. Nevertheless, transmission occurs directly between animals or indirectly via food of animal origin and infected objects. The Unna district veterinary office has already made intensive preparations to manage the animal disease case. All measures are coordinated by the State Animal Disease Control Center (LATIKO) in the State Office for Consumer Protection and Nutrition (LAVE). However, the Unna district is currently not affected by any restriction measures.

Instructions for action and biosecurity measures

Strict measures apply in the affected restriction zones: these include restrictions on the transport of pigs and a ban on keeping them outdoors. A requirement for dogs to be kept on a leash and a general ban on hunting were also enacted. The veterinary authorities are working closely with crisis teams from the Olpe, Hochsauerlandkreis and Siegen-Wittgenstein districts to constantly monitor what is happening and take prompt measures to contain it. A team of experts from the FLI supports the local veterinary authority on site.

Strict biosecurity measures also apply to agricultural operations. This includes that stables and storage areas must be fenced and access to the stables is only permitted via hygiene locks. Hand washing and disinfection options are also absolutely necessary. Participation in a voluntary early detection program for farmers is offered as a helpful option to respond quickly to possible infections. North Rhine-Westphalia had already been taking precautionary measures to prevent an ASF outbreak since 2019 - for example through a framework agreement with the Wild Animal Seuchen-Vorsorge-Gesellschaft mbH (WSVG) and a nationwide monitoring program.

Information and outlook

The situation remains tense. If there are any changes in the Unna district or the city of Hamm, the district press office will provide regular information. If you would like to find out more, you can visit the websites of LAVE, FLI and the animal disease system TIS, which show current developments and provide guidelines.

In order to stop the spread of African swine fever, everyone involved needs to work together. Time does not stand still and important measures must be continuously adapted. It remains to be hoped that the measures taken will work and the animal disease can be contained quickly.