The area is more than five times the size of the Swedish capital Stockholm. – Today, the Swedish Agricultural Agency has decided to establish an infected zone based on today’s findings and which measures and restrictions will apply in the zone, they write on their website. – African swine fever is a serious viral disease that affects wild boars and pigs. However, it does not affect humans or other animal species. Since 25 August, seven dead wild boars have been found dead in a restricted area in Fagersta. It was on Wednesday 6 September that the Statens veterinärmedicinska anstalt (SVA) in Sweden announced cases of the disease among wild boars. It is the first proven case of African swine fever in the Nordic region, says the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. Unknown source of infection It is not known how the infection came to the country, writes SVA. The work to locate, limit and fight the viral disease continues on Thursday. That’s what Lena Hellqvist Björnerot at the Swedish Agency for Agriculture says. – We are working intensively with other authorities and affected industry organizations to limit and combat the infection. It is important that everyone respects the restrictions that now apply in the affected area, says Björnerot. The Statens veterinärmedicinska anstalt (SVA) makes bone samples of wild boars after the outbreak of African swine fever. Photo: Erik Ågren / Statens veterinärmedicinska anstalt (SVA) The Swedish Agency for Agriculture has had a contingency plan for all types of forestry Prohibition against letting dogs loose All machinery used for forestry in the area must be cleaned and disinfected The Swedish Board of Agriculture also encourages pig farmers in the area to keep an eye on the herd and contact a veterinarian in case of illness in the herd. This area has been defined as an infection zone following the outbreak of African swine fever in Sweden. The area is 996 square kilometers large, according to the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. Photo: Screenshot / Swedish Agricultural Agency An operational management center has been set up to coordinate the work in the area. Food Safety Authority: Humans may have carried the infection The Food Safety Authority in Norway is in contact with its Swedish colleagues, and keeps itself updated on the situation. Chief veterinarian Ole-Herman Tronerud says so. – What is important now is to see how the Swedes handle the matter, and to what extent they are able to find out how the disease has spread. It has something to say about which areas we have to be careful with, says Tronerud to news. Chief Veterinarian Ole-Herman Tronerud in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority says there is money for those who report the discovery of dead wild boar in Norwegian forests. Photo: Christian Nygaard Monsen / news According to Tronerud, the affected area in Sweden is more than 50 miles away from the nearest known infection area in Europe. – It makes it likely that the infection has moved with people in one way or another. It is a risk we also face all the time with tourists, Norwegians who are out. The affected area in Sweden is 200 kilometers from the Norwegian border. No specific measures have therefore been put in place by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority at this time. Although swine fever does not affect humans, we can carry it with us on our shoes and clothes. There may also be residues in meat products we buy with us, which have not been properly heat-treated. – We recommend, if you have been in the area, to wash and disinfect shoes and such things, so you are confident that you are not the one responsible for bringing infection into Norway, says Tronerud. Cash prize for wild boar findings In Norway, we want as few wild boars as possible. Therefore, you can hunt wild boar all year round and throughout the country. If you find a dead boar in the forest, you can actually make money from it. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority will analyze and test the animals. – If you come across dead or sick wild boars, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority will notify you as soon as possible. Then you also get remuneration in the form of money, says Tronerud. You can get NOK 3,000 for reporting a dead or sick wild boar.
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Huge area closed off after outbreak of swine fever – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
