Introduction: African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to plague the European swine industry. In recent weeks, new outbreaks have emerged in Hungary, Finland, and Serbia, leading to an expansion in the scale of domestic pig culls and the extension of control zones, as the situation becomes increasingly severe.
Hungary: Second Case of ASF in Domestic Pigs Confirmed Within Six Months
The Hungarian National Office for Food Chain Safety (Nébih) has confirmed the country’s second outbreak of African swine fever in domestic pigs. The outbreak occurred at a farm in the western county of Somogy, which houses approximately 1,850 pigs. The entire herd will be culled, and authorities have simultaneously implemented disease control measures.
It is worth noting that Hungary first confirmed African swine fever in domestic pigs in early June of this year. The outbreak at that time occurred in the eastern county of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg and involved a farm with a herd of 3,000 pigs. The two outbreaks at commercial farms are not geographically adjacent; they are located at opposite ends of the country. Previously, Hungary had reported African swine fever in wild boars since April 2018, but the first case in domestic pigs did not occur until June of this year.
Finland: Wild Boar Outbreak Spreads, Control Zone Expanded
The Finnish Food Authority announced the expansion of its African swine fever control zone. Additional cases have been detected in wild boars in Virolahti (near the Russian border) in the southeastern part of the country. Finland has confirmed 14 cases since the virus was first detected in wild boars in late July of this year.
The agency noted that some of the new cases have appeared outside the initial core outbreak area. While the exact boundaries of the affected zone have not yet been defined and maps have not been released, authorities have already urged “berry pickers, mushroom hunters, and others” to avoid the area. Sirpa Kiviruusu, head of the agency’s Animal Health and Medicines Department, told AFP that these wild boars “most likely” originated from Russia, though this has not yet been confirmed. She said, “This strain is identical to those found in the Baltic states and Central Europe.”
Serbia: Over 36,000 Pigs Culled Across 930 Farms
The toll of the outbreak in Serbia continues to rise. According to Dragan Glamočić, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management, speaking to Radio Television Serbia (RTS), Serbia culled nearly 3,000 pigs in just over two weeks; the total number of domestic pigs that have died or been culled due to African swine fever has now reached 36,632.
The affected pigs came from 930 infected farms across 7 regions, 13 municipalities, and 62 towns and villages. In early July of this year, a single farm in Hrtkovci culled more than 11,000 pigs, marking Serbia’s largest single outbreak to date.
Brief Analysis
The outbreaks in these three countries have followed two distinct trajectories: in Hungary and Serbia, the disease is concentrated in domestic pig farms, where a confirmed case triggers the culling of the entire herd; in Finland, the outbreak remains primarily among wild boars, with the main pressure on containment measures stemming from cross-border transmission and spread in the wild. Finnish officials’ assessment of the virus strain’s origin also underscores the reality of African swine fever’s cross-border transmission and its continued circulation in the Baltic and Central European regions. For domestic pig farms, border control, wild boar monitoring, and on-farm biosecurity remain key to combating this disease.
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Hungary: Second Case of ASF in Domestic Pigs Confirmed Within Six Months
The Hungarian National Office for Food Chain Safety (Nébih) has confirmed the country’s second outbreak of African swine fever in domestic pigs. The outbreak occurred at a farm in the western county of Somogy, which houses approximately 1,850 pigs. The entire herd will be culled, and authorities have simultaneously implemented disease control measures.
It is worth noting that Hungary first confirmed African swine fever in domestic pigs in early June of this year. The outbreak at that time occurred in the eastern county of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg and involved a farm with a herd of 3,000 pigs. The two outbreaks at commercial farms are not geographically adjacent; they are located at opposite ends of the country. Previously, Hungary had reported African swine fever in wild boars since April 2018, but the first case in domestic pigs did not occur until June of this year.
Finland: Wild Boar Outbreak Spreads, Control Zone Expanded
The Finnish Food Authority announced the expansion of its African swine fever control zone. Additional cases have been detected in wild boars in Virolahti (near the Russian border) in the southeastern part of the country. Finland has confirmed 14 cases since the virus was first detected in wild boars in late July of this year.
The agency noted that some of the new cases have appeared outside the initial core outbreak area. While the exact boundaries of the affected zone have not yet been defined and maps have not been released, authorities have already urged “berry pickers, mushroom hunters, and others” to avoid the area. Sirpa Kiviruusu, head of the agency’s Animal Health and Medicines Department, told AFP that these wild boars “most likely” originated from Russia, though this has not yet been confirmed. She said, “This strain is identical to those found in the Baltic states and Central Europe.”
Serbia: Over 36,000 Pigs Culled Across 930 Farms
The toll of the outbreak in Serbia continues to rise. According to Dragan Glamočić, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management, speaking to Radio Television Serbia (RTS), Serbia culled nearly 3,000 pigs in just over two weeks; the total number of domestic pigs that have died or been culled due to African swine fever has now reached 36,632.
The affected pigs came from 930 infected farms across 7 regions, 13 municipalities, and 62 towns and villages. In early July of this year, a single farm in Hrtkovci culled more than 11,000 pigs, marking Serbia’s largest single outbreak to date.
Brief Analysis
The outbreaks in these three countries have followed two distinct trajectories: in Hungary and Serbia, the disease is concentrated in domestic pig farms, where a confirmed case triggers the culling of the entire herd; in Finland, the outbreak remains primarily among wild boars, with the main pressure on containment measures stemming from cross-border transmission and spread in the wild. Finnish officials’ assessment of the virus strain’s origin also underscores the reality of African swine fever’s cross-border transmission and its continued circulation in the Baltic and Central European regions. For domestic pig farms, border control, wild boar monitoring, and on-farm biosecurity remain key to combating this disease.
Disclaimer: Some article materials are sourced from the internet. Sources have been clearly indicated, and copyright belongs to the original authors. The content is provided for readers’ reference only. If the rights of the original authors have been infringed, please contact us promptly via comment so we may remove the content!