African Swine fever spreads to Northern Russia, UN

Rome, 26 Oct-(ANA)- A  pig disease known as African swine fever (ASF) has now been found in northwest Russia, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has said.

The latest outbreak of ASF – which cannot be transmitted to humans – was found

near the city of St. Petersburg on 20 October, jumping 2,000 kilometres from

southern Russia.

The spread has confirmed the worst fears of FAO experts who have been tracking the disease in Georgia and neighbouring nations for several

years.

“Although we have known that the virus has been circulating in the Caucasus – in

Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan – for several years now, eventually spreading to

southern Russia, it is its sudden appearance far away near the Baltic coast that

is worrying,” >said Juan Lubroth, the agency’s Chief Veterinary Officer.

The danger now is that ASF could spread to other regions, including the European

Union, Eastern Europe, countries in the Black Sea basin and even Central Asia

and China, which has the world’s largest pig population.

It can be transported over wider geographic areas through the movement of

infected swine or contaminated pork products, FAO said.

Although Muslim populations do not consume pork, Iran, Turkey and Central Asia

could act as a transit point for ASF due to the large numbers of wild boar in

these areas.

“In light of this outbreak, FAO is advising countries to be vigilant and roll

out their early detection and response plans,” Mr. Lubroth said. (ANA)

FA/ANA/26 October 2009---