Major Classical Swine Fever outbreak in Russia

An outbreak of Classical Swine Fever has recently been reported in the Radde village in Russia. According to reports 88 animals died and about another 100 had to be culled. The region has been placed under quarantine and veterinary authorities advised people to not buy pork for a while.

“The virus appeared in the region a month earlier but Classical Swine Fever in Radde was not found immediately by farmers or by the local veterinary services,” says the owner of a local pig farm Oleg Merinov.

Only when the epidemic became widespread among the pig stock of the village and when samples containing the virus were sent to the laboratory for study, did farmers suspect Classical Swine Fever. As a result the deaths of animals lasted several weeks. Laboratory studies have confirmed this diagnosis.

Farmers say that the responsibility should be put on authorities, but veterinary services have a different opinion – they already asked the law enforcement agencies to have a look into the situation and take all necessary measures to have guilty persons (farmers) take responsibility.

There is a reason for the preliminary examination by law enforcement agencies on the causes of the spread of CSF in the Radde village, said Chief Veterinary Officer of the region, Michael Yudaev.

He blames the weather and local pig farmers. In his view, they ignored the basic rules of pig keeping. Preliminary examination of the causes swine fever epidemic in the Jewish Autonomous Region will last 30 days.