#13,636
The encroachment of ASF into Western Europe (see UK: DEFRA Preliminary Assessment Of ASF Reported In Belgium) and its recent arrival and spread across much of Eastern China, pose growing threats to pork producers around the world, including the UK, Western Europe, and North America.
Today the UK's DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has released two updated reports; one on ASF in China, and the other on the continued detection of ASF in wild boars in Belgium.Below you'll find links to, and excerpts from, both reports.
Updated Situation Assessment #3
African Swine fever in China
29 th October 2018
Ref: VITT/1200 ASF in China
Disease Report
Over the last three months, the Chinese authorities have reported 53 outbreaks of ASF in domestic pigs in 13 provinces of China. The most recent reports are in South East China in Guizhou, Hunan and Yunnan provinces and represent a significant geographical jump.
The map below shows the location of all outbreaks according to OIE (2018), with the domestic pig density, according to FAO Empres-i data. Disease control measures are in place.
Situation Assessment
ASF was first reported in China on the 3rd August. The disease has spread quickly. The Chinese have put a series of control measures in place.
The detection of ASF in pig farms in south east China represents a large jump in geographic spread. The source of the first outbreaks in China is unknown at present, but the Chinese Authorities have reported that over 60% of the outbreaks are associated with feeding swill or catering waste to pigs.
- Restriction zones of 3km and 10km around each affected establishment;
- A complete ban on feeding catering waste and swill to pigs;
- Closure of live pig markets in affected provinces;
- Suspending movements of live pigs in affected and adjacent provinces, unless
- destined for breeding and with a pre-movement test; and
- Culling with more than 210,000 pigs culled to date.
Nevertheless, there are other pathways which need to be considered, including the movement of infected pigs over long distances to market, the exposure to contaminated equipment, feed or water and vector transmission.
Argasid (soft-bodied) tick species, such as Ornithodorus spp. are known to be involved in the transmission cycle of ASF, where present. The virus can persist for several years in the absence of infected suids (pigs, wild boar and warthogs), when ticks are present, hindering eradication efforts in domestic pigs and wild boar / feral pigs.
There are thirteen species of soft-bodied ticks present in southern China, including two species of Ornithodorus spp. (Yu et al., 2015), although it is not known how effective they are as vectors of ASF. Therefore this recent jump not only represents a spread of the disease towards other countries in south-east Asia but also opens up the possibility for establishment of the virus in the resident tick population, so facilitating persistence. In this respect the degree of exposure of domestic pigs and wild boar to soft ticks will be an important consideration.
According to a media report, sausages seized recently from a passenger on a flight from China to Japan tested positive for ASF highlighting the potential risks posed by translocation of personal imports of products of animal origin (POAO).
The overall risk to the UK given the current distribution of ASF in the EU and neighbouring countries is still medium. With ASF established in Eastern Europe, there are ongoing concerns around pork products from non-EU countries entering the EU in passenger luggage and then being discarded in areas where wild boar or domestic pigs are present.(Continue . . . )
With direct flights to the EU and UK from China and southern Asia, there is a risk of entry of ASFV in POAO from Asia. Publicity campaigns are in place to discourage individuals from bringing pork products into UK.
Conclusion
The risk of ASF introduction to the UK was raised to medium in August 2018. This reflected the spread of ASF westward from Eastern Europe. Despite the spread of ASF to China, the current risk of ASF introduction to the UK is still considered to be medium although the situation is being kept under review and depends on how ASF spreads both within China and across other parts of south-east Asia.
We would like to highlight to the public that it is illegal to bring back products of pig origin (raw pork meat or cooked meat including ham, pork meat, salami, sausages, dried pig products, bristles, hair, skin, or hunting trophies) from China. Also, all pig keepers and the public should ensure pigs are not fed catering waste, kitchen scraps or pork products,thereby observing the swill feeding ban.
All pig keepers should be aware that visitors to their premises should not have had recent contact with pigs and pig premises in the affected regions. Anybody returning from any ASF-affected area should avoid contact with domestic pigs, whether commercial holdings or smallholdings, areas with feral pigs or wild boar, until they are confident they have no contaminated clothing, footwear or equipment. Pig keepers and veterinarians should remind themselves of the clinical signs for ASF. Any suspect cases must be reported promptly.
Updated situation assessment #2
African swine fever in wild boar in Belgium
29 th October 2018
Ref: VITT/1200 ASF in wild boar in Belgium
Disease report
The Belgian Authorities have now reported 124 cases of ASF in wild boar in the Luxembourg region of Belgium (see map), close to the border with France, within a forested area of nearly 80km.
There have been no cases in domestic pigs, commercial or otherwise. The commercial pig sector is located over 200km away, in the Flanders region.
The source and route of virus incursion has not been confirmed, and investigations are continuing. The European Commission has confirmed that interim protective measures under 2002/60/EC Article 15 are in place, delineated by the border with Luxembourg and France. An Infected zone has been established (of 630 km ), within which there are strict biosecurity measures.
Situation assessment
Belgium has preventively culled all domestic pigs within the infected area (~5,000 pigs) including 6 small commercial holdings (farms with more than 50 pigs) and implemented a series of strict control measures to limit the spread of the disease (Portail de la Wallonie, 2018).
( Continue . . .)
