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All news / ASF outbreaks reach 23 in Russia

  • 17 May 2022, 10:45

According to Data Processing Center of Rosselkhoznadzor, 23 cases of African swine fever (ASF) were confirmed in Russia between January 1 and May 11, 2022.

8 outbreaks were registered in farm animals in the territory of Astrakhan (1), Omsk (1), Samara (1), Saratov (2), Sverdlovsk (1) regions, Khabarovsk (1) region and the Republic of Bashkortostan (1).

The virus is mainly confirmed in small farms. Thus, in early May, an ASF outbreak was found on a pig farm in Omsk district of the Omsk region. The farm has 330 pigs on-site, 20 of which fell ill and died.

15 outbreaks in wild animals have been reported in Russia since the beginning of the year. ASF-infected wild boars were registered in the Amur (3), Volgograd (2), Oryol (1), Rostov (1), Saratov (1) regions, Primorsky (3), Khabarovsk (2) and Stavropol (1) regions, and the Republic of Severnaya Ossetia (1).

Information note

African swine fever is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs with a 100% mortality rate. There is no specific treatment or effective vaccine for ASF. Following a decision of Victoria Abramchenko, Deputy prime minister of Russian Federation, a domestic vaccine against ASF in cattle has to be developed and applied in Russia by 2024.

Wild hogs are considered to be the dominant natural hosts of the ASF virus. Infection causes high fever, vomiting and bloody diarrhea in wild and domestic pigs.

ASF does not present a threat to public health, although scientists presume mutations are possible.