African Swine Fever continues to impact the global pork market

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, with a mortality rate of up to 100%. The virus is highly resistant in the environment, which means it can survive on clothing, boots, wheels and other materials. It can also survive on various pork products such as ham, sausages or bacon. Therefore, human behaviors can play an important role in the spread of this swine disease across borders if proper measures are not taken. According to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), In total, as of January 2021, ASF has been reported to be present in five different regions of the world in 40 countries, affecting more than 827,000 domestic pigs and more of 23,000 wild boar (data reported by INs and RFUs), with over 990,000 animal losses. In this period, 6 countries reported ASF as the first occurrence in the country, while 9 countries reported its spread to new areas. For WOAH this highlights a continued spread of the disease into new ...