February 19, 2026

Catalonia, Spain, expands high-risk area for ASF again

The Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food of Catalonia, Spain, has expanded its high-risk area for African swine fever (ASF) once again, after the detection of seven new cases in wild boars.

Since one of the cases was located outside the high-risk area in Sant Feliu de Llobregat, the municipality and a small part of the municipal area of Barcelona must be added to the zone. Sixteen municipalities are now included in the high-risk region.

Since the first detection in November 2025, there have been 162 confirmed positive cases in Spain, all in wild boar. Catalonia's surveillance operation has remained active 24 hours a day with the aim of containing the disease in the smallest possible radius, protecting animal health and guaranteeing the safety of the Catalan pig sector. ASF has not been detected on any livestock farms thus far.

The Catalonian government has asked the state for additional support to strengthen operational resources to guarantee biosecurity, technological capacity, and control of the outbreak. Requests include an additional disinfection station and more drones with night capability and thermal cameras, as well as assistance from the Nature Protection Service of the Civil Guard to capture specimens and from the Military Emergency Unit for rapid extraction of corpses.

To intensify the strategy and extend it to all of Collserola, the Ministry of Agriculture has also requested the installation and maintenance of traps such as 'pig brigs', to allow the collective capture of wild boars.

"We have requested material, logistical, and human reinforcement from the state and the autonomous communities to reinforce the strategy defined by the committee of experts to cover the new high-risk area to the south," said Catalonia's Agriculture Minister Òscar Ordeig. "We will mobilise all the necessary forces to defend our sector and do it as best as possible. This is a long-distance race and the most important thing remains the containment of the outbreak, the reopening of markets and the collaboration of all citizens."

- National Hog Farmer