Russia battling to keep African Swine Fever under control

Russia is struggling to keep African Swine Fever under control. For the last two years, the disease frequently pops up in the border regions, including Georgia and Ukraine.

Early this year the disease also appeared near St. Petersburg. The discovery of dumped animals (discovered this week) near Volgograd shows that the Russian farmers are barely aware of the importance of a strict policy to eradicate the disease.

Fear of disease spreading/ endemic concerns

The United Nations is concerned about these practices in Russia and is afraid that the disease will spread to other parts of Russia as well.

They also warned that African Swine Fever can become endemic, meaning that the virus remains present in the pig population and among wild boars and can create unexpected disease outbreaks.

African swine fever can not be eradicated through vaccination, but only with a strict precautionary culls and policy.

Also read: Russia: Pig carcasses found – African Swine Fever determined

Editor PigProgress