Catalonia is preparing for a “long-distance running” contain the African swine fever (ASF) epidemic detected eleven days ago in Barcelona and manage its consequences. As the Minister of Agriculture, Òscar Ordeig, explained this afternoon, this fight is taking place in … first place to carry out “tracking” of the area concerned.
In this sense, today the crawl, inch by inchof the 11,000 hectares contained in a first radius of ten kilometers from the point where the first two infected wild boars were found, and in the coming days it will be the same for the crown between kilometers ten and twenty, which is the one that marks the limit of the surveillance zone. For this, we maintain the system of 1,000 Rural Agents, UME and Seprona, who covered the territory on foot over 50% of the area, while 30% were carried out with drones and 20% with canine units.
In this regard, there is no news regarding the number of thirteen positive. “The most important thing is that the focus remains contained: to recover the markets, to normalize the situation, and this will only be possible if the positive aspects remain in the objective,” added Ordeig, who hinted in the sense that it will be a race to the bottom if we follow the strategy of those who “have done the best in Europe in the management of ASF, namely Belgium and the Netherlands”.
Today, the area’s Facilities and Laboratories Audit Group met for the first time to determine or rule out whether the source of the outbreak was a leak.
The advisor’s message comes on the same day that the area’s facilities and laboratories audit group met for the first time, specifically the IRTA-CReSAto determine or exclude whether the origin of the epidemic is a leak from one of these laboratories, after the so-called sandwich theory lost weight thanks to genetic analyses. However, the administration calls for caution and not to draw hasty conclusions until the genetic analysis is completed.
On the other hand, and as explained by the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia, the court of Second example from Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona) received a report regarding the outbreak, a report which was distributed.
However, without a case having yet been opened, the court of minutes must be filled and the corresponding procedure must be opened, for a alleged environmental crime regarding the African swine fever epidemic, which is already planned to be declared secret. But at present, no case is open, report judicial sources.
Urgent financial aid
At the same time, today we learned that the Generalitat has approved a set of urgent measures to deal with the economic and health impact derived from ASF and declared urgency for all actions aimed at containing, preventing and mitigating the effects and contagion of this disease. This is a measure that makes it possible to accelerate and hire urgently if necessary.
As indicated in a press release from the Consell Executiu this Tuesday, the rapid spread of the virus and the risk that some animals could escape from the containment zone “require the declaration of emergency for certain actions, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Sector Contracts Act.” Thus, contracts for services, supplies and, where applicable, works awarded to the Generalitat or its public sector, which aim to contain, predict or mitigate the effects and contagions of ASF and possible mutations or variants of the virus, will be treated as a matter of urgency.
The actions included in the emergency hiring This involves, on the one hand, the supply of veterinary equipment, laboratory services or medicines, protective equipment, as well as cleaning, collection and waste treatment services.
Also the supply of vehicles and fuellaptops, tablets, mobile phones, drones, temperature-sensitive cameras, traps, weapons and ammunition, or even accommodation and catering services for staff involved in prevention work and disinfection or equipment cleaning services.
Also included in the list are monitoring, transport and disposal services for dead animals, as well as staff training and services or provision of signagecommunication or advertising, installation of prefabricated modules or temporary toilets for personnel participating in ASF extinguishing and containment work.
On the other hand, a line of aid and subsidies has been created 10 million euros, extendable with 10 more, to mitigate the economic impact that the disease can cause, and the line of loans from the Català Institute of Finance (ICF), aimed at companies and entities affected by climate emergencies, is expanded to include companies affected by PPA as possible beneficiaries.
Beyond that financial supportAccording to the government, Acció, the agency for business competitiveness of the Ministry of Business and Labor, and the Promotora d’Exportacions Catalanes (Prodeca), a public company of the Generalitat, will open an advisory service to companies affected directly or indirectly and will offer specialized support.
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