China releases specifications to prevent, control ASF

In response to cases of African swine fever (ASF) reported internationally, the Ministry of Agriculture of People’s Republic of China (MOA) released the Technical Specifications for Prevention and Control of ASF (Trial) on November 24. The specifications were released to help the Chinese agency fully implement the National Medium-and-Long Term Animal Disease Control Plan (2012-2020) and guarantee the sustainable development of the pig industry and effective supply of pork products.
The specifications that apply to any related entities and individuals involved in the preventative activities in China establish the prevention and control measures including the diagnosis, submission, confirmation, epidemic response and prevention of African swine fever (ASF).
According to the specifications, any entity or individual that finds unusual death of hogs and wild boars such as the vaccine failure of classical swine fever and massive deaths of hogs for unknown causes should immediately report to the local veterinary authorities, animal health supervision institutions or animal disease prevention and control institutions. Clinically suspected cases of ASF identified by county animal disease prevention and control institutions should be submitted to local veterinary authorities in two hours and then to the provincial animal disease control institutions.
As pointed out by the specifications, the epidemic spot, infected area and risk area should be established according to the location where the dead or sick animals are found. The infected area covers an area with a radius of three kilometers of the epidemic spot; the risk area stretches out by an area of 50 kilometers starting from the edge of the infected area.
Disinfection should be carried out at the infected premise three to five times a day for one week after which the same work should be done once a day for another15 days.

Agreement protects pork trade between US, EU

Pig meat trade between the United States and the European Union has been protected following a new agreement over animal health controls in operation in Europe.
The European Commission has welcomed the recent move by the U.S. to recognize its animal health regionalization system, which was put in place to contain the spread of African swine fever (ASF). With trade in pork products between the EU and the U.S. valued at around EUR335 million (US$380 million) in 2014, the announcement by the U.S. will help to avoid trade disruptions in the event of an outbreak of a disease.
"This significant move reflects the confidence of the United States, one of our major trading partners, in our robust system to control animal diseases,” said Vytenis Andriukaitis, EU Commissioner in charge of Health and Food Safety. “It comes at a time when pig farmers across the EU face particular difficulties. It is of crucial importance that unjustified restrictions on imports of European pork are lifted."
In the U.S. Federal Register notice, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recognizes any EU region that the EU or any EU Member State has placed under restriction because of ASF. In so doing, APHIS recognizes the EU as a single entity with a single animal health legislation, veterinary oversight and disease control programs. The significance of this notice is that, rather than carrying out its own assessment, the U.S. will accept EU decisions regarding regions affected by ASF.

Eastern Europe and Zimbabwe report new ASF outbreaks

New outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) have been reported in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Russia and Zimbabwe.
While Poland has had no new cases of ASF since August 2015, outbreaks have been reported in other EU member states over the last month.
The Veterinary and Food Board in Tallinn has reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) a total of 93 outbreaks of the disease in Estonia since mid-September. All but one of the outbreaks were in wild boar, affecting 111 animals in total, all of which were found dead. In one farm outbreak in Vöru in the south-east of the country in September, two domestic pigs died and the remaining 102 were destroyed.
Latvia has been regularly reporting new ASF findings in wild boar in the north and east of the country, with 81 new cases reported over the last month. All of the cases – 90 in total - were in areas already known to be infected with ASF.
There have been 13 outbreaks in Lithuania, according to the national veterinary authority, affecting 14 wild boar in the north and east of the country and a single domestic pig in Vilnius county.
Moving beyond the European Union, Ukraine has recently reported its first cases of ASF in domestic swine: 4 village pigs died at 2 locations in Burynsky in the second week of October. Like all the previous outbreaks, these cases are in Sumi oblast, which is in the north of the country and borders Russia.
In September, the federal veterinary service in Russia reported 2 new outbreaks of ASF to the OIE, both in the west of the country. The disease led to the death or destruction of all 29 animals in a village herd in Vladimir oblast and 6 wild boar in a herd of around 100 animals in Ryazan oblast.

ASF outbreaks continue in Zimbabwe

A new report to the OIE details one outbreak in late August in a group of 203 free-ranging village pigs in Mashonaland Central, with 185 animals showing signs of the disease, which was later confirmed. All 7 previously reported outbreaks since July of 2015 have been in the Dande valley area of the province, which is in the north-east of the country and borders Mozambique. The infected area has been placed under quarantine and movement of pigs and pig products out of the area is prohibited, while awareness campaigns are on-going for local people.

Classical swine fever returns to Russia

In the last month, Russia has reported 2 outbreaks of classical swine fever (CSF) in domestic pigs in Primorsky krai in the south-east of the country. The first was in a backyard herd of 5 animals, and this was followed by more cases in 24 village pigs at a different location in the same region.
Latvia continues to report on CSF to the OIE but no cases have been seen there since March of 2015. Vaccination has been taking place since 2013.

Finland issues warning to keep African swine fever away

Evira, the Finnish Food Safety Authority, is warning the people of Finland to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF) by not bringing wild boar meat or food products made from it into the country from Baltic nations or Poland.
African swine fever has spread into Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. It is a serious, highly contagious animal virus disease. The disease does not infect humans, Evira stated, but it could endanger Finnish pork production.

Virus survives very well in meat products

The ASF virus is very resistant to various methods of meat processing and is capable of spreading in products such as long-life sausages, smoked meat products or air-dried meat products.
Evira also cautions that bringing in any meat products from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine is prohibited.

Cause for avoiding hunting trips

Trips to hunt wild boar in the infected areas should be avoided, stated Evira, which also recommends that hunting trophies, such as animal tusks and skins should be treated in the source country until they can be kept at room temperature, and then sent to Finland.
Hunters who have already made hunting trips should clean and disinfect all their equipment thoroughly. Finnish hunting clubs should provide hunters visiting Finland with Finnish clothing and equipment.

More ASF outbreaks in eastern Europe, Zimbabwe

Since early September, new outbreaks of African swine fever have been reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) by several countries in eastern Europe and Africa.
From Zimbabwe, the veterinary authority has reported 5 outbreaks of the disease, all in late July 2015 in free-ranging village pigs in the Dande valley. This area lies in the state on Marshonaland Central, along the Mozambican border.
Local spread is due to movements of infected animals and meat, according to the Director of Livestock Services in Harare, as pigs are taken to market or moved to another village with the aim to save them from infection. These activities risk spreading the virus further, as does poor carcass disposal. Infected areas have been placed under quarantine and a roadblock has been set up with the aim to prevent movement of animals and meat.
Campaigns have started in infected areas and adjacent villages to make pig-keepers aware of the need to confine pigs, dispose of carcasses by burning and burying and not to trade in infected meat. While there is a general willingness to comply, local people rely on their animals being able to forage for feed, which they cannot do when confined, and the owners cannot afford to buy special feeds.
Russia has reported 3 outbreaks of African swine fever so far this month, all of them in village pigs. In total, 32 domestic pigs died or were destroyed in these outbreaks, in the previously affected oblasts of Sarakov, Volgograd and Oryol.
A seminar on transboundary diseases was conducted recently in Ulan Bator in Mongolia, according to Chinese sources. Among other diseases, African swine fever and foot and mouth disease (FMD) were discussed by delegates, who included more than 60 representatives from Russia, China and the host country as well as international animal health organizations. At this, the 5^th meeting in the series, agreement was reached to increase communication and cooperation with the view to control better these economically significant infections.
Since August 23, Estonia has reported 25 outbreaks of African swine fever in southern and central regions of the country. All were in wild boar, with 34 animals either dying or destroyed as the result of infection.
There have been 65 new outbreaks in Latvia. Most of these outbreaks have been in wild boar hunted or found dead in areas already known to be infected. Two groups of domestic pigs were also affected, both in the county of Rezkenes, involving 144 pigs at a farm and 2 from a backyard; all of the surviving animals have been destroyed.
At the end of August, one dead wild boar in the region of Vilnius in Lithuania tested positive for the African swine fever virus.
Two new outbreaks in Ukraine have led to the death or destruction of 67 village pigs. One of these occurred in Rivne in the north-west of the country, close to the border with Belarus, while the other was in the north in Chernihiv oblast.

African swine fever outbreaks continue in Europe, Africa

At the end of August, the veterinary authority in Kenya reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) the first outbreak of African swine fever for more than 3 years. The disease was diagnosed in a subsistence farm in Central state in July. Eleven of the 21 pigs died. Swill feeding on the farm is suspected as the source of the infection.
The first outbreak in Russia was in January 2014, and the veterinary authority reported 20 new outbreaks during August 2015.  Half of the new outbreaks were in 43 wild boar that tested positive for the virus after being shot or found dead. Locations were in forests and national parks in the oblasts Ryazan, Yaroslavl, Volgograd, Oryol and Pskov and in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic in the North Caucasus. The largest herd of domestic pigs to be affected during the month was in Krasnodar Krai, where 659 pigs died or were destroyed due to the disease. There were also 7 outbreaks in backyard and village herds in Bryansk, Ryazan, Oryol and Saratov oblasts, which led to the death or destruction of a further 132 pigs.
After an outbreak of African swine fever at a large farm in the region of Kiev at the end of July, investigations in Ukraine moved to a slaughterhouse in Poltava oblast, where some of the 277 pig carcasses tested positive for the virus and all were destroyed. In the Brovarskiy district of Kiev oblast, 300 wild boar have been killed and destroyed in order to prevent the spread of the disease through depopulation. One village pig died of African swine fever in the Kiev region during August. In Rivne oblast, which borders Belarus in the northwest of the country, 97 wild boar were destroyed during another depopulation program after 2 domestic pigs were affected earlier in the month. Quarantine measures in both these districts have now been lifted. The northeastern oblast of Sumy, there had been no detections of African swine fever since December 2014 but in August, it was reported that two wild boar had tested positive for the virus and that 308 pigs on a farm had been destroyed after the disease had been confirmed as the cause of death in two other animals.
Poland has reported 3 further cases of wild boar infected with African swine fever over the past month, all in the Podlaskie district, which borders Belarus and is under restrictions to prevent the further spread of the disease.
With their first outbreaks in 2014, the Baltic states have continued to battle the disease during the past month.
During August, Lithuania reported a further 15 outbreaks, which resulted in the death or destruction of 25 backyard pigs and 5 wild boar in central and eastern regions of the country where previous cases have been detected.
Neighboring Latvia reported 39 outbreaks during the third week of August, all in wild boar in a total of 15 counties in the north and east of the country. In all, 48 animals were affected. In previous weeks of the month, the OIE received reports of a further 105 outbreaks at various locations, mainly affecting wild boar. Three small herds of domestic pigs in the counties of Salacgrivas and Daugavpils, totaling 32 animals, were also destroyed following confirmation of the virus.
Weekly reports during August from the authorities in Estonia record 81 outbreaks occurring in several regions in the east and centre of the country. In addition to 4 backyard herds, 7 farms were hit by the disease, including one with more than 11,000 animals. In all, more than 17,500 domestic pigs were affected in these outbreaks and 89 wild boar also died or were destroyed.

African swine fever cases in Estonia approach 10,000

Eleven months after the Veterinary and Food Board of Estonia reported its first cases of African swine fever (ASF) to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), thousands of animals have been affected by the disease.
In September 2014, the first cases of ASF were in wild boars in the south of the country in the region of Valga, which borders Latvia.  However, the number of domestic pigs on farms affected by ASF has grown, Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) reports. Authorities are struggling to find suitable locations to dispose of the carcasses safely.
Reports to the OIE from the board indicate the first cases in domestic pigs were confirmed in mid-July 2015, and that the number of animals affected totals fewer than 4,400 on 9 farms in the central and southern regions of Viljandi, Valga, Tartu, Jarva and Lääne-Viru. As for cases in wild boar, 382 animals have died of the disease so far.

Estonia’s pig industry

There are an estimated 900 pig farms and 370,000 pigs in Estonia. European Union agency, Eurostats puts the total number of animals in 2014 at just under 358,000, including 33,600 sows, and pig meat output for the year at 40,550 metric tons.

Belarus bans Russian pigs, pig products over ASF worries

• 

  Andrea Gantz

  Belarus has banned live hogs and pig products from Russia's Vladimir oblast.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Belarus has imposed temporary restrictions on pork imports from Russia’s Vladimir oblast, citing concerns over the presence of African swine fever in the region.
  The temporary restrictions pertain to the import of live hogs, pork, including meat of wild boar, by-products, leather, hog sperm, hog hair, hunter's trophies, and similar products, fodder and feed supplements for animals, including those made from fish and poultry meat that have not been processed at the temperature of 70C, reported Belarusian News.
  According to a report from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), there have been four confirmed cases of ASF in Russia. Between the four cases, 56 animals were reported as susceptible. Of those animals, 13 died and the remaining 43 were destroyed. However, none of the four Russian ASF cases were reported in the Vladimir oblast. Two were in the Bryanskaya oblast and two were in the Kurskaya oblast.
  ASF has also appeared in Belarus. In December 2014, OIE confirmed the presence of ASF in a wild boar in a Belarusian hunting ground near the Russian border, making it the first occurrence of ASF in the country.
  ASF has been a major concern of those in the global pork industry. ASF cases have also been reported in Russia, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Cabo Verde and Zimbabwe.

African swine fever returns to Zimbabwe

After an absence of more than 20 years, African swine fever has returned to Zimbabwe. The Director of Livestock and Veterinary Services in Harare informed the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about two outbreaks of the disease in the far northeast of the country in the second week of July 2015. Around 50 animals died of 1,918 village pigs in two villages near Mount Darwin in the region of Mashonaland Central. The source of infection is thought to be contact by the free-ranging domestic pigs with infected animals while grazing or at watering points.
The Mount Darwin district, which lies close to the border with Mozambique, has been placed in quarantine and movements of pigs and pig products into and out of the area have been halted. Infected carcasses are being disposed of by burning and burying.
Zimbabwe has also been struggling since April of 2014 to bring under control foot and mouth disease (FMD), which has hit many cattle herds in the southeastern and southwestern parts of the country.
Recent African swine fever outbreaks in other African countries
2014 saw widespread outbreaks of the disease across the continent. OIE received reports of one or more cases in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia in 2014. The Organization also believes the disease to have been present in Guinea-Bissau and Uganda.
So far in 2015, local media have reported outbreaks in Zambia in February and in Uganda as recently as July. OIE has received notification of two outbreaks in Cabo Verde and one in Chad and Cote d’Ivoire in 2015.

African swine fever spreading in Uganda

• 

  Andrea Gantz

  Officials in Uganda are concerned about the spread of African swine fever in the country.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Veterinary officials in Uganda have confirmed the presence of African swine fever (ASF) in the country’s Masaka District.
  Lawrence Mayanja, the Kabonera Sub-county veterinary officer, confirmed the ASF outbreak, saying that a number of animals in the area have so far died as a result of contracting the disease, which he says is still spreading.
  According to an AllAfrica report, ASF has been confirmed in the Udandan parishes of Kabonera 'B', Kiziba, Kasanje and Kyamuyimbwa and parts of Rakai District.
  Mayanja has stressed that because some producers have not  been practicing recommended biosecurity measures, and because there have been problems with people smuggling meat in the region, Ugandans should only purchase pork from selling points with which they are familiar.
  ASF is caused by a virus, which infects domestic and wild pigs. A type of soft-bodied tick that lives in the animal’s burrows transmits the virus.
  ASF continues to be a concern for those in the global pig industry. In recent months, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has reported confirmed cases of the pig disease in numerous countries in the Baltic region and in Africa. Among the countries with recent confirmed ASF cases are Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Cabo Verde.

Wild boars in Ukraine test positive for ASF

The veterinary authority in Ukraine has reported to the the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) that two wild boars have tested positive for African swine fever (ASF).
The boar carcasses were found by a gamekeeper in the Zhydenske forest, forest in the province of Rovno in the north-west of the country, bordering Belarus. 
The carcasses were located 4 kilometers from the national boundary of Ukraine with Belarus and 5 kilometers from the nearest village, Zhaden.
The following measures have been imposed: control of wildlife reservoirs, quarantine, movement controls inside the country, screening, zoning and disinfection/disinfestation. There will be no vaccination or treatment of animals found to be affected.
OIE will submit follow-up reports on the case until it considers it to be resolved.
The most recent discovery of ASF in the Ukraine follows an earlier confirmed case of ASF, also near the Belarusian border. In that case, three dead wild boars were discovered on May 5 in territory of the state wildlife reserve.  One of the three boars tested positive for ASF, while the other two carcasses were not tested because they were in an advanced state of decomposition.
In addition to the Ukraine, numerous countries within the Baltic region and other parts of the world have reported cases of the disease. Other countries to be affected in recent months include: Russia, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Cabo Verde.

First African swine fever case in Ukraine

The Ukraine has had its first confirmed case of African swine fever (ASF).  According to a report from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the virus was found in a wild boar, not very far from the country’s northern border.
The Ukrainian ASF case was discovered when three dead wild boars were discovered on May 5 in territory of the state wildlife reserve.  Testing was conducted at the State Scientific and Research Institute of Laboratory Diagnosis and Veterinary and Sanitary Expertise on one of the three boar carcasses, which proved positive for ASF. The other two carcasses were in an advanced state of decomposition, so they were not tested, according to the OIE report.
Control measures implemented include quarantine, zoning, movement control within the country and control of wildlife reservoirs.
While this has been the first confirmed case of ASF in the Ukraine, numerous countries within the Baltic region and other parts of the world have reported cases of the disease. Other countries to be affected in recent months include: Russia, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Cabo Verde.
OIE stated that it will continue to issue weekly reports on the ASF situation in the Ukraine until it is resolved.

ASF discovered in Cabo Verde for first time since 2009

African swine fever (ASF) has been discovered on the island nation of Cabo Verde for the first time since 2009, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reported.
A swine herd of mixed breeds had been experiencing high mortalities, with 450 pigs dying, and another 150 testing positive. According to the OIE, a total of 1,000 animals were susceptible. Tests were conducted by the Veterinary Laboratory of the General Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Development.
The source of the ASF outbreak in Cabo Verde has been listed as inconclusive, but OIE noted that the affected farm was near a landfill and that the animals on the farm had been fed with waste from hotels, restaurants and other sources. The affected pigs could have also had contact with sick swine on the island, OIE noted.
The animals have been quarantined. Other control measures implemented include movement control inside the country, screening, zoning, dipping and spraying. The affected property will be disinfected.
ASF has been a disease of growing concern for the global pig industry, as numerous cases have been reported. The most recent reports of ASF from the OIE have included outbreaks in Russia, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
OIE stated it will submit weekly follow-up reports on the Cabo Verde ASF case.

African swine fever found in Belarus

African swine fever (ASF) has been confirmed in a wild boar in a Belarusian hunting ground near the Russian border, according to a report from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The infection marks the first occurrence of ASF in Belarus, the OIE stated.
A test conducted December 15 at the State Science and Research Institute of Laboratory Diagnosis and Veterinary and Sanitary Expertise showed a sample proving positive for ASF.
The boar was found dead on the hunting grounds by rangers. An additional 91 boars on the ground were considered susceptible.
Veterinary officials have implemented the following control measures upon the boar testing positive: quarantine, movement control inside the country, control of wildlife reservoirs and zoning.
Many other countries in the region have had cases confirmed by the OIE. ASF outbreaks have also been reported in recent months in Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Another outbreak of ASF has been reported in Chad.
Most of the ASF cases reported to the OIE, like the one in Belarus, have occurred in wild boars. However, the case that occurred in Lithuania took place at one of the country’s largest swine farms, with a total of 19,411 animals susceptible. The outbreak that occurred in Chad occurred at a farm with about 500 animals susceptible.
OIE will submit weekly reports on the ASF case in Belarus until it is resolved.

ASF, FMD would devastate US pork industry

• From WATTAgNet:
  The U.S. pork industry has been struggling since Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) virus first struck in 2013. However, one industry expert says other diseases could prove to be much more damaging to the industry.
  African swine fever (ASF) has been plaguing countries like Latvia, Chad, Russia and Lithuania, while nations in Africa, Asia and Brazil have been battling foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in both pigs and cattle. Should these diseases spread into North America, its impact would be particularly harmful as outbreaks could put a halt to exports of U.S. pork and beef.
  “If we get them, we will lose key export markets,” Dermot Hayes, agribusiness professor at Iowa State University, told Agriculture.com. “We would need to ask Americans to eat 25 percent as much pork and 10 percent more beef. Wholesale prices could fall 50 percent. That is a big problem.”
  Just because ASF and FMD are an ocean apart from the U.S., it doesn’t mean that they can’t spread to the U.S., said Hayes. “Nobody expected PED to cross the Pacific Ocean,” said Hayes, pictured below.
  One way to help prevent ASF and FMD from reaching North America is by improving biosecurity efforts. That would include having airport security crews checking to see that nobody brings meat products into the U.S. that could eventually be eaten by animals and start an outbreak.

Chad has first African swine fever outbreak since 2012

The presence of African swine fever (ASF) has been confirmed at a swine farm in Chad. According to a report from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) there were 96 cases of ASF at the farm in Ville De NJamena, in Western Chad. A total of 77 of the 96 ASF cases were fatal.
A total of 500 pigs at the farm were susceptible.
The outbreak was confirmed by the OIE, after tests conducted at a national laboratory by the Livestock Research Institute for Development (IRED) from Farcha, conducted on September 19, came back positive. The origin of the outbreak, which was first suspected on September 3, has not yet been determined.
According to the OIE, control measures used included movement control inside the country. No vaccinations or treatment of affected animals were conducted. There are plans for additional control measures, which include stamping out and disinfection of the infected premises.
The outbreak marks the first time in nearly two years that ASF has been confirmed in Chad. The last occurrence was reported on December 31, 2012.
Animal health organizations are continuing to monitor the situation in Chad. OIE stated that it will submit follow-up reports concerning the ASF outbreak.

Estonia reports first case of African swine fever

Estonia has reported its first case of African swine fever (ASF). According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the death of a wild boar was confirmed on September 8.
The boar was found dead in the Valga district of the Hummuli parshi, about 6 kilometers from the Latvian border. ASF had previously been confirmed in Latvia on June 26, when two wild boars had been found dead.
The presence of ASF virus in the wild boar in Estonia was confirmed by the European Union Reference Laboratory for African swine fever in Spain.
Control measures used, according to the OIE, include control of wildlife reservoirs, screening and zoning. No vaccinations were given and there was no treatment of the affected animal.
ASF has been a growing concern in the region. In addition to ASF cases in Estonia and Latvia, the presence of ASF has been discovered in Russia, Lithuania, Belarus and Poland. Many of those cases, like the ones in Estonia and Latvia, involved wild boars. However, the case that occurred in Lithuania took place at one of the country’s largest swine farms, with a total of 19,411 animals susceptible.
OIE stated that it would submit follow-up reports on the ASF situation in Estonia.

African swine fever detected at Lithuania pig farm

Lithuania has had its first case of African swine fever (ASF), with animals at one of the country’s largest swine farms testing positive. A total of 19,411 animals were susceptible, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
The affected farm is owned by the company Idavand, according to the Baltic Times. It is located in Utena County, in Eastern Lithuania, the country’s most sparsely populated county.
After an increase in mortality in domestic pigs was reported, samples taken from the farm were investigated at the National Food and Veterinary Rick Assessment Institute, the OIE reported. The samples sent there tested positive for ASF. Samples will be sent for confirmation to the Community Reference Laboratory.
A three-kilometer protection zone and a 10-kilomiter surveillance zone were set up around the affected farm. Other control measures used included stamping out, control of wildlife reservoirs and disinfection of the affected premises.
The Lithuanian ASF case marks one of many that have been plaguing the swine industry in the Baltic region.  Bordering countries Russia Poland, Belarus and Latvia have all reported cases, with Latvia reporting its first case in late June.
OIE stated it will provide weekly follow-up reports on the Lithuanian ASF situation.

African swine fever found in Latvia for first time in history

Latvia has had its first discovery of African swine fever (ASF) in the country’s history, according to a report from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Discovery of the virus has led Latvia to consider a state of emergency and led Russia to implement a ban on Latvian pigs and pork products.
Russia implements ban on Latvian pigs, pork
Russia has implemented a ban on live pigs and pork products from Latvia, citing worries over ASF. The ban was implemented on June 28, two days after Latvia reported to the OIE that ASF had been discovered in Latvia’s Kraslavas County.
The ban, put in place by Rosselkhoznadzor, the Russian federal service for veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance, excludes finished cat and dog feeds that were thermally treated at minimum temperatures of 70C for at least 20 minutes. Additionally, Rosselkhoznadzor imposed temporary restrictions on the transit of live swine through Latvia to Russia.
According to the OIE, Latvian found two wild boars dead close to the Belarus border. Samples were taken and sent to a national reference laboratory, where ASF was confirmed in the two boars.
Russia also has had recent African swine fever cases
Russia itself had been dealing with two cases of ASF in June, one of which was a wild boar, according to OIE reports. Both animals died.
Latvia considers state of emergency for African swine fever
Janis Duklavs, Latvian agriculture minister, said the government wants to declare a state of emergency in the region, but the final decision will be parliament’s to make, Reuters reported. A state of emergency would give government officials access to private farms so pigs can be tested and vehicles leaving infected areas can be inspected to prevent the spread of the ASF. A vote could come as early as July 3.

China and Japan ban Polish pork

Following the discovery of two cases of African swine fever in Poland, China and Japan have announced a ban on imports of pig meat from Poland. This follows the blocking of all EU pork shipments by Russia which was imposed immediately after the outbreak.
The two bans will heavily impact the Polish pork trade, as China, Japan, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan took over a third of all Polish pork exports between January and November 2013. Belarus and Kazakhstan are part of the Customs Union with Russia. The volume of pork exported to the countries which have banned Polish shipments is equivalent to around 10 percent of Polish production, according to BPEX.
Some of the remaining Polish pork products will find a home elsewhere in the EU, suppressing prices to some extent. The shortfall in supplies to China and Japan may be filled by other EU exporters, potentially limiting the increase in supplies and mitigating any fall in prices.