Evira, the Finnish Food Safety Authority, is warning the people of Finland to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF) by not bringing wild boar meat or food products made from it into the country from Baltic nations or Poland.
African swine fever has spread into Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. It is a serious, highly contagious animal virus disease. The disease does not infect humans, Evira stated, but it could endanger Finnish pork production.
Virus survives very well in meat products
The ASF virus is very resistant to various methods of meat processing and is capable of spreading in products such as long-life sausages, smoked meat products or air-dried meat products.
Evira also cautions that bringing in any meat products from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine is prohibited.
Cause for avoiding hunting trips
Trips to hunt wild boar in the infected areas should be avoided, stated Evira, which also recommends that hunting trophies, such as animal tusks and skins should be treated in the source country until they can be kept at room temperature, and then sent to Finland.
Hunters who have already made hunting trips should clean and disinfect all their equipment thoroughly. Finnish hunting clubs should provide hunters visiting Finland with Finnish clothing and equipment.
