Estonia has reported its first case of African swine fever (ASF). According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the death of a wild boar was confirmed on September 8.
The boar was found dead in the Valga district of the Hummuli parshi, about 6 kilometers from the Latvian border. ASF had previously been confirmed in Latvia on June 26, when two wild boars had been found dead.
The presence of ASF virus in the wild boar in Estonia was confirmed by the European Union Reference Laboratory for African swine fever in Spain.
Control measures used, according to the OIE, include control of wildlife reservoirs, screening and zoning. No vaccinations were given and there was no treatment of the affected animal.
ASF has been a growing concern in the region. In addition to ASF cases in Estonia and Latvia, the presence of ASF has been discovered in Russia, Lithuania, Belarus and Poland. Many of those cases, like the ones in Estonia and Latvia, involved wild boars. However, the case that occurred in Lithuania took place at one of the country’s largest swine farms, with a total of 19,411 animals susceptible.
OIE stated that it would submit follow-up reports on the ASF situation in Estonia.
