The state of Catalonia and representatives of the pig farming sector have reached an agreement to start next week About 30,000 healthy pigs were slaughtered On farms near an outbreak of swine fever detected in this independent community.
Affects the measure 39 livestock farms It is located in a 20-kilometre surveillance perimeter around the outbreak area, located in the Collserola mountain range, in the province of Barcelona.
In addition, sources from the ASAGA Agricultural Organization and the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Catalonia reported, after a meeting with representatives of the already known government, The slaughterhouse where the sacrifices will take place.
On behalf of the state, the Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau; Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Oscar OrdigMinister of Research and Universities, Noria Montserrat.
For their part, representatives of agricultural organizations refused to speculate on the possibility that the swine fever outbreak had emerged from a laboratory, facts confirmed by Department of Agriculture The investigation is already underway.
The investigation was launched following a report from the EU reference laboratory indicating that all viruses are currently circulating in member states They belong to a different group To those discovered in the province of Barcelona.
According to the results of the ASF virus genome sequence, the currently circulating viruses belong to genetic groups 2-28, while the Coleserovirus is a new virus from genetic group 29. This is “very similar to the genotype 1 cluster that spread in Georgia in 2007.” Which, according to the ministry, is frequently used for experimental infections in quarantine facilities to conduct studies and evaluate the effectiveness of vaccines.
That is why they point out that “it is possible The origin of the virus is not in animals or products of animal origin Coming from one of the countries where the infection is currently present.” Given this situation, the General Directorate of Agricultural Food Production and Animal Welfare Health informed Nature Conservation Service (SEPRONA) Subordinate The Civil Guard must investigate these events, as it is a competent authority.
These investigations complement what has already begun in the past November 28This is the date on which an outbreak of African swine fever was discovered in Cerdanyola del Valles. Currently there are 13 positive cases.
State Minister of Agriculture, oscar Ordig, He called for “wisdom and calm” in the face of the latest information, and insisted that the report “is not conclusive and does not exclude other conclusions.” “Let’s let the scientists work,” he said in a press conference, in which he stressed that the government “will do its best to clarify the origin of the strain.”