no trekking, mountain biking, fishing and other activities. Where and why

Trekking, mountain biking, collecting mushrooms and truffles, fishing, hunting and all the activities that could directly or indirectly interact with wild boars infected with African swine fever they are prohibited in a limited area of ​​Piedmont and Liguria which includes 114 municipalities. The only type of hunting allowed is precisely that of selective wild boar, because at this moment it is useful to reduce the excess population and to strengthen the monitoring network on the presence of the African swine fever (ASF) or African swine fever (ASF) virus. ) in the Italian territory.

In 36 Ligurian and 78 Piedmontese municipalities which are located in the buy area between the territories of Genoa, Ronco Scrivia, Novi Ligure, Acqui Terme, Spigno Monferrato and Albissola Marina, activities in the woods will therefore be limited for six months and in the event that you find yourself in front of a carcass of wild boar you must immediately leave and call the competent authorities. The carcasses, in fact, must all be examined to understand if the dead animals have been infected by the virus or not, in order to have information on the spread of ASF.

Swine fever, man not in danger –

Fortunately the African swine fever is not transmissible to humans, but it is dangerous for animals and the economy. In fact, in Italy there are about 9 million pigs and we are the seventh meat producing country in the European Union. It is an industry worth about 8 billion and therefore the spread of the disease in farms would cause a very serious crisis. In the event of an epidemic, in fact, the animals affected by swine fever must be killed because even those who manage to overcome it then remain carriers of the virus for about a year. Unfortunately there are no treatments for ASF and therefore what really matters is prevention, especially through passive surveillance in domestic farms and on carcasses found in the woods. The damage to humans, therefore, is of an economic nature. For Italy, the spread of the virus would cause damage for about 20 million per month and risks on 1.7 billion of exports.

Prohibition of trekking, mountain biking and other activities –

The order signed by the Minister of Agriculture Stefano Patuanelli and by the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza it is valid for six months and prohibits, as we have seen, numerous types of activities that take place in areas where there are wild boars living in the wild. The aim is to “implement every measure useful to a immediate contrast to the spread of ASF and its eradication to protect the health of the national pig fauna and zootechnical heritage and the economic interests associated with non-EU trade and exports to third countries of pigs and derived products “.

African swine fever: how it arrived in Italy –

Between Liguria and Piedmont, the areas affected by the ordinance, seven carcasses of wild boars that had been infected by swine fever were found in recent days, so the alarm immediately went off. THE wild boarshaving freedom of movement, they can reach farms and infect pigs.

We recall that this virus has already been circulating for decades in different parts of the world and Italy has already faced it once, in 1978 in Sardinia. Now he could have returned to our country through wild boars from across the border, from countries like Slovenia. Meanwhile, China, Japan, Taiwan, Switzerland and Kuwait have already taken measures and are implementing a temporary stop to the importation of meats and cured meats made in Italy.