The Catalan government has discovered four new cases of wild boars killed by African swine fever in the same region as the first two cases found on Friday. With the new infections, there will be a total of six samples affected by a rapidly spreading disease that has already forced a significant portion of pig exports for consumption to be quarantined, with no plague detected on any livestock farm at the moment.
After the first cases were detected, the government completely closed access to the natural environment within a 6 km radius, affecting 12 municipalities declared as infection areas. These are Sabadell, Sant Quirz del Valles, Bolinha, Santa Perpetua de la Mogoda, Montcada y Rexac, Ribollet, Barbera del Valles, Badia del Valles, Cerdaniola del Valles, Sant Cugat del Valles, Terrassa and Rubí.
In addition, 64 recreational activities as well as hunting were restricted, and authorities asked to avoid forest areas. This control area affects municipalities in the regions of Alte Penedès, Anoia, Bagés, Baix Llobregat, Barcelones, Maresme, Valles Occidental and Valles Oriental, and includes Mount Collserola, one of the large parks where Barcelona residents go on vacation.
Minister Oscar Ordig said in an interview on Rac1 that Catalan laboratories and visual inspections have confirmed the four new positive cases, pending final verification. Ordig asked citizens “responsibly” to avoid going to Collserola and, above all, to respect the closure of the entrances located 6 kilometers around the concentration, in Cerdanyola del Valles, whose borders will be determined. “With a vehicle, a bicycle, or with the fingerprint of a contaminated material from an animal, the disease can spread,” he warned.
The restrictions are being coordinated with the rural agents, the Mossos d’Esquadra and the Seprona, as well as with the municipal police. In this infected area, access to the natural environment is closed and, in fact, physical and chemical barriers will be created. Likewise, there will be wild boar traps, and hunting and forestry activities are prohibited. Any activity in rural areas is also prohibited.
“We do not have enough people to protect the entire 20-kilometre area, but we ask for caution this weekend,” Ordig said.
The council member confirmed that the virus had not been found on any farms, although 39 farms in the affected area were contained. Likewise, all non-EU pork exports, i.e. outside the EU, have been closed.
“The economic impact will be significant,” Ordig admitted, recalling that Catalan pork exports outside the European Union amount to about 1,000 million euros annually, and the entire sector reaches 3,000 million.
“The situation is serious and we must manage it as best as possible,” the minister said, recalling that once the outbreak is under control, the Ministry of Agriculture must negotiate bilaterally with all export markets regarding the possible easing of restrictions.
The Ministry of Agriculture is asking municipalities to pay more attention to cleaning bins and containers, place cat feeders in elevated and outdoor areas, and not feed wild pigs or close picnic areas.
Ordig pointed out that if someone finds a dead wild boar, they should immediately call 112 and not touch it under any circumstances.
African swine fever is not contagious to humans or other domestic animals, but it has a very high mortality rate among wild boars and pigs.