The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency Confirmed a Second Outbreak of African Swine Fever Virus

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BNSA) received a signal of increased morbidity in an animal-farm in the village of Jernov, Pleven, on July 2, 2019. There are 14 pigs in the farm, two of which died. After the notification of the case in Pleven, an on-site inspection team was immediately established.

The samples taken from the dead pigs have been confirmed as positive for the African swine fever virus (ASF) by the National Reference Laboratory of the National Diagnostic Research Veterinary Medical Institute in Sofia. The carcasses of the animals are buried near the farm, and disinfection is carried out at the site.

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency has immediately taken measures to control and eradicate the disease in accordance with European and national legislation, and the Emergency Action Plan for ASF Control. The forced humane killing and the disposal of all domestic swines started today, July 4th, observing the requirements of Ordinance No 22 to minimize the suffering of animals during slaughter or killing.

The directors of the Pleven, Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Veliko Tarnovo, Rousse, Shumen, Razgrad, Silistra, Dobrich, Varna and Burgas municipal councils will convene meetings of district and municipal epizootic commissions, including representatives of industry and hunting unions, to take urgent measures to prevent the onset of the disease.

Restriction zones (3 km of safety and 10 km of surveillance zones) have been established, where measures for the control and eradication of ASF have been imposed. They host domestic pigs in "private farm" facilities, there are no industrial and family farms for pigs, as well as Eastern Balkan pigs. The 3-kilometer protection zone provides for the preventive human euthanasia of all domestic pigs. Clinical examinations and laboratory surveillance will be carried out in the settlements covered by the 10-km surveillance zone.

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