site.btaFood Safety Agency Confirmed Case of African Swine Fever in Bourgas, Pleven

104 ANIMAL HEALTH - AFRICAN SWINE FEVER - BOURGAS

Food Safety Agency Confirmed
Case of African Swine Fever
in Bourgas, Pleven


Sofia, July 13 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) confirmed a case of African swine fever (ASF) at a farm in Zidarovo village, near Bourgas (at the Black Sea), the BFSA said Saturday. This is the first case of swine tested positive in the region.

The farm is an unregistered private property with a total of 14 swine. After taking samples from the animals, the regional food safety agency confirmed the presence of the ASF virus.

The BFSA took immediate measures for controlling and eliminating the disease in accordance with European and Bulgarian law and the plan for immediate actions for controlling African swine fever. Two restriction zones have been set up (a 3-kilometer protection one and a 10-kilometer surveillance one), where measures for controlling and eliminating the virus have been imposed.

During an active search for infected and deceased wild boars in the region of Pleven (Northern Bulgaria), the body of a wild boar was found on the land of Novachene village, near Pleven. A probe was taken by the National Reference Laboratory with the National Diagnostic Science-and-Research Veterinary Medical Institute in Sofia and was tested positive. This is the second case of a wild boar infected with ASF in the region.

The BFSA noted that it is of significant importance for farmers to abide by the rules for preventing the disease. LI/TH
/TH/