An outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) has been confirmed in the north-eastern Indian state of Tripura following a sharp increase in animal mortality. The deaths of pigs were recorded at the Regional Breeding Centre for Foreign Breeds in Nalkat, Dhalai district. According to local media reports, the deaths occurred over the past two days, after which laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the virus.
Amid suspicions of ASF, local authorities immediately introduced a set of anti-epizootic measures. In particular, a decision was made to destroy all pigs within a one-kilometre radius of the infection site, followed by the destruction or burial of carcasses in accordance with veterinary requirements. A so-called surveillance zone has been established within a ten-kilometre radius of the outbreak. The movement of live pigs, pork products and feed is prohibited here, and any transportation of animals is only possible with special permission from the competent authorities.
ASF in the north-eastern states of India is traditionally reported in a fragmented manner, but the region already has a history of outbreaks. The last confirmed cases in Tripura were widely reported in April 2022. The current situation indicates that the risk of re-introduction of the virus remains and that it is difficult to control in regions with developed small-scale pig farming.
Asia-Pacific region: new risk signals
At the same time, there are reports of the development of an epizootic situation in other Asian countries. In mid-December, ASF was again detected in Hong Kong among domestic pigs on a farm in the New Territories. However, according to the latest report to the World Organisation for Animal Health, no further cases or new outbreaks have been reported in this region to date.
In South Korea, seven more infected wild boars were detected between 21 and 29 December. New cases were recorded not only in Gangwon Province in the northeast, where the virus has been circulating for a long time, but also in North Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang Provinces, located in the central and eastern parts of the country. The total number of confirmed ASF cases among wild boars in South Korea since 2019 has reached 4,316. In addition, over the past six years, the infection has been confirmed on 55 farms with domestic pigs, with the most recent outbreak recorded in November 2025.
Europe: increase in the number of outbreaks
The situation in Europe also remains difficult. According to the European Commission's Animal Disease Information System, 13 countries in the region have confirmed a total of 932 ASF outbreaks among domestic pigs since the beginning of the year. This is 22% more than in the whole of 2024, although the number of countries where such cases are recorded has decreased.
The highest number of outbreaks among domestic pigs this year has been recorded in Romania (470) and Serbia (232). Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Moldova also have significant numbers, with 51-53 cases each. Between 18 and 24 December, new outbreaks were confirmed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Serbia and Lithuania.
At the same time, the number of ASF cases among wild boars is rising sharply. As of 24 December, 10,906 such cases had been registered in 19 European countries, which is 38% more than in the whole of 2024. Poland remains the leader with over 3,300 cases, followed by Germany, Latvia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Lithuania and Italy.
The situation in Spain is particularly noteworthy, where ASF was detected for the first time in over 30 years at the end of November. As of 29 December, 29 cases have been confirmed among wild boars in the country, all in a restricted area of one province near Barcelona in Catalonia. In Italy, most new cases among wild animals are concentrated in the north-central region of Tuscany.
Thus, the new outbreak in Tripura fits into the broader global context of ASF spread. Despite local successes in eliminating individual outbreaks, the virus continues to circulate actively in the wild and periodically break into farms, forcing countries to strengthen biosecurity and intergovernmental coordination.
PigUA.info based on materials from feedstrategy.com