Spain scrambles to limit damage from African swine fever

"Spain was scrambling on Saturday to limit the economic impact from an outbreak of African swine fever, a day after announcing its first cases in three decades in the Catalonia region. The virus does not affect humans but is highly contagious and fatal for pigs, and an outbreak is potentially devastating for the country's pork industry. Agriculture Minister Luis Planas said on Saturday the government wanted to limit the economic impact on the agricultural sector "as much as possible"."

"But he said a third of those countries had halted imports from Spain -- an automatic safety measure when African swine flu is detected. Mexico, one of Spain's key markets, formally announced the suspension on Friday shortly after officials in Catalonia announced that two wild boars had tested positive -- a first in the country since November 1994."

""We must focus all our efforts on trying to eradicate, eliminate all possible cases and prevent the spread of the virus," Planas said. The regional authorities in Catalonia have set up two perimeters around the affected area and limited outdoor activities. African swine fever is currently present in several European countries, the Baltic states and several Eastern European nations among them."

Spain announced its first cases of African swine fever in three decades after two wild boars tested positive in Catalonia, prompting urgent containment measures. The virus is not harmful to humans but is highly contagious and fatal for pigs, posing a major threat to the country's pork sector. Authorities established two perimeters around the affected area and restricted outdoor activities. Spain exports almost three million tonnes of pork annually to over 100 countries; about one-third of those countries have halted imports as an automatic safety measure. Mexico suspended imports. The government aims to eradicate all cases and minimize the agricultural economic impact.

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