June 15, 2007

Georgia prevents further spread of African swine fever

Authorities in Georgia said they have prevented a major spread of African swine fever which killed 30,000 pigs and prompted the UN to issue a warning of the plague's possible economic consequences, an agriculture official said Thursday (June 14).

According to Deputy Agriculture Deputy Minister Bakur Kvezereli, authorities have taken a series of measures in recent months to contain the outbreak, including isolating pigs and prohibiting their transport, slaughtering pigs without owners and disinfecting vehicles.

However, he admitted that more pigs are expected to die in the affected areas of the Caucasus Mountain nation.

The sale of pork has been banned at shops and markets in the capital, Tbilisi, and other areas, he said.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization said last week that the outbreak of the contagious viral disease, which does not affect humans, could have a "catastrophic" economic impact unless its spread was prevented.