An outbreak of African swine fever has been confirmed at a pig farm in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is a farm in the Emsland district, near the border with the Netherlands.
According to the regional Ministry of Agriculture, it is the first time that swine fever has been diagnosed in Lower Saxony. “Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before swine fever also reached Lower Saxony. This is a hard, emotional blow to pig farmers in our state,” said Minister Barbara Otte-Kinast.
280 adult pigs and 1500 piglets are kept on the affected farm. Authorities will have all animals killed on Sunday.
African swine fever was first diagnosed in Germany on September 10, 2020, in a wild boar in Brandenburg. Since then, outbreaks have been confirmed in the states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony.
Not dangerous for humans
It is a viral infection in pigs that is almost always fatal and incurable. There is no vaccine that can protect the animals preventively. The disease can be transmitted from animal to animal or via contaminated surfaces. African swine fever is not contagious or dangerous to humans.
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