Authorities in Bulgaria have reported on an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) on a commercial farm with 13,000 hogs. The farm is located near the town of Apriltsi in Lovech Province in a mountainous region in the center of the Nation.
Apriltsi is popular as a tourist location with the potential for dissemination of virus if contaminated or uncooked pork products are transported to other areas of the nation or are illegally exported.
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ASF in Eastern Europe and Baltic Region |
Two additional cases of ASF have been reported subsequently to the Apriltsi event, both in semi-commercial small-scale units. This suggests that ASF may be widespread and undiagnosed in Bulgaria with owners slaughtering and consuming hogs that show clinical signs.
The Food Safety Agency of Bulgaria will follow OIE recommendation establishing a 1.8 mile quarantine zone around affected premises and imposing controls over movement of livestock.
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