African swine fever: First cases discovered in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein!

African swine fever: First cases discovered in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein!

Vechta, Deutschland - In the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, the African swine plague (ASP) has arrived. Today the first case was confirmed in a wild boar carcass in the Bad Berleburg Wisent show enclosure. While around 1 million domestic pigs live in Lower Saxony, in the district of Vechta, the number in the affected district of Siegen-Wittgenstein is rather modest with only about 700 animals. This makes the Situation no less worrying because the ASP raises considerable economic concerns, even if this viral infection is harmless to people. The last larger asp-eruption in Germany occurred in Vechta in 1993, where 1.6 million animals had to be crumpled, which shook the industry.

The hunters, farmers and veterinarians are currently working hand in hand to prevent the virus from spreading further. It should no longer be hunted in the restricted zone, which gives hunters the opportunity to go to wild boars more intensively outside of this region. These social animals can quickly spread the virus, which is why hunting has to be intensified. In addition, specially arrested dogs are used to monitor and discover carcasses. It is important that the population calls when it sees a dead wild boar instead of looking for it.

measures and precautionary measures

The health and the economic risks of the ASP should not be underestimated. For the pig farmers, this means that they are no longer allowed to keep their animals outside and are subject to strict transport restrictions. This could lead to a significant decline in the pig market, as many countries consider trading restrictions to prevent the introduction of the virus.

The ASP is not a new phenomenon in Germany; The first confirmed case with a wild boar already dates to September 10, 2020, followed by further cases in 2021. The symptoms in sick animals are terrifying: high fever, movement disorders and ultimately the death of most infected pigs within a week. Since there is currently no available vaccine, bio -security measures are of the utmost importance. This includes stringent hygiene and the monitoring of the animal population, such as the ASP-Risikampel system of the University of Vechta, which is recommended for self-control.

episodes for the region

The concern remains that the determined cases could result in new outbreaks in surrounding areas, which would possibly lead to an expansion of the restricted zone. So far, ten carcasses in the area around Kirchhundem have been recovered, and experts fear that the spread could have been favored by illegal disposal of meat products.

The coming time will be decisive. Planned events in the restricted zone, such as the Shark Attack Bike Festival, have already been canceled to avoid additional risks. This is a serious situation for all those affected, and the cooperation between the different groups remains essential to prevent the spread of the ASP and to secure the well -being of pig breeding in the region.