Five-fold increase in outbreaks of African swine fever in domestic pigs in the Europe

In 2023, 14 Member States were affected by African swine fever (ASF) and it caused a fivefold increase in outbreaks in domestic pigs compared to the previous year. These are the main findings in the latest annual epidemiological report, published a few days ago by the European Food Safety Agency - EFSA. In domestic pigs, 2023 saw the highest number of African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks since 2014. Croatia and Romania reported 96% of the total number of outbreaks (1929). The number of wild boar outbreaks in 2023 increased by 10% compared to the previous year. The virus was first detected in Sweden and Croatia and has also spread to areas of Italy. He also reappeared in Greece after a two-year hiatus. Germany, Hungary and Slovakia noted an improvement in the epidemiological situation in their countries, with the number of wild boar outbreaks decreasing. EFSA experts recommend that for the detection of ASF outbreaks, priority should be given to passive surveillance, including ...