March 4, 2024

ASF detected in Albania for the first time

African swine fever (ASF) has been identified in Albania for the first time, as the nation becomes the latest European country to confirm the presence of the virus, Pig World reported.

According to reports from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the virus was detected in two wild boars in a forest located in the Kukes region in the North West of the country, near its borders with North Macedonia and Montenegro, both of which have recently reported ASF outbreaks.

The confirmation of the disease was made by the Food Safety and Veterinary Institute on February 10 and subsequently reported to WOAH on February 26.

The emergence of ASF in Albania is not unexpected, given the prevalence of the disease in neighbouring countries.

Montenegro recorded its first case in wild boar in January, while North Macedonia reported 36 cases in wild boar and 15 cases in domestic pigs between May 2023 and January 2024.

According to the latest update on ASF in Europe by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, the virus has been reported in domestic pigs in 13 European countries between May 2023 and January 2024.

During this period, there were 2,920 reports of the virus, with Bosnia and Herzegovina leading with over 1,500 cases. Among the Balkans countries affected last year, Serbia reported 482 domestic cases, Croatia reported 293, and North Macedonia reported 15.

Additionally, the virus was detected in wild boar in 17 European countries during the same period. Poland reported the highest number of cases in wild boar, with 1,565 reported cases, followed by Italy with 736, Latvia with 614, Hungary with 208, and Romania with 133.

-      Pig World