New ASF cases were reported in Estonia, Croatia, and Ukraine, while 13 other countries confirmed the continuation of existing outbreaks.
A total of 51 new outbreaks in domestic pigs and 735 cases in wild boar were confirmed across Europe last month, leading to the loss of over 3,900 domestic pigs. Particularly concerning is Ukraine, where ASF reappeared in Kherson and Ternopil regions. One outbreak occurred over 100 km away from previously infected areas, demonstrating the virus’s potential for sudden geographic jumps. WOAH emphasized that this serves as a stark reminder of the need for strict biosecurity measures.
Risks to Commercial Pig Farming
Most outbreaks in February occurred in high-density pig farming regions, raising concerns for commercial producers. Since January 2022, Europe has recorded over 540,000 ASF cases in domestic pigs and nearly 31,000 in wild boar, leading to the loss of more than 1.3 million animals.
Ukraine’s recent developments highlight a worrying trend of the virus spreading into new territories, posing a serious economic risk to the country’s pig industry.
Global ASF Situation
In February, no new ASF outbreaks were reported in Africa, the Americas, Asia, or Oceania, but the overall global picture remains alarming. Since early 2022, ASF has been detected in 64 countries across five world regions, resulting in nearly 2 million pig losses.
Despite the ongoing threat, no country has officially adopted ASF vaccination as a response to outbreaks. Some nations are conducting trials with modified live vaccines, but WOAH warns that any vaccine must meet strict safety and efficacy standards.
WOAH’s Recommendations
WOAH urges all countries to:
- Maintain high biosecurity standards on farms,
- Report outbreaks promptly,
- Conduct awareness campaigns for farmers and hunters,
- Control animal movement to prevent disease spread.
The organization also highlights the importance of data transparency, particularly regarding vaccine trials, to support global efforts in controlling ASF.
Useful for Producers: Online Course on ASF
The The Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, together with leading industry experts, offers a specialized online course, “African Swine Fever — Everything the Business Needs to Know,” available on the AgriAcademy educational platform.
The course is designed for owners, managers, and employees of pig farms, as well as other industry stakeholders who seek to minimize risks associated with African swine fever (ASF) and protect their businesses from critical losses.
During the course, participants will gain:
- up-to-date knowledge on the nature of ASF and the mechanisms of its spread;
- an understanding of key risk factors and the findings of recent research;
- practical tools for assessing biosecurity risks at the farm level;
- clear action protocols in the event of suspected or confirmed outbreaks;
- recommendations on preventive measures and long-term farm protection;
- examples of practical experience from enterprises that have already faced ASF-related challenges.
Training Format
All materials are presented in the form of concise, well-structured video modules that can be viewed at any convenient time.
The course is free of charge, subject to prior registration.
You can join the course via the following link:
https://courses.agriacademy.org/courses/course-v1:FAO+ASF+2024Q4/about