November 6, 2008
Swine fever hits Russian region yet again
The African swine fever virus (ASFV) has spread to a fourth region in Russia's southern Stavropol Territory.
Vets have already begun culling pigs in the Yutsa village which has been affected by swine fever. Over 11,000 pigs have already been killed in the area following the recent outbreak.
Experts say that pork from the culled animals can be consumed once it has been correctly processed.
Outbreaks of the highly contagious virus, which was first registered in 1903 in South Africa, are rare outside the region, but 5,000 pigs were culled or died from the virus this summer in Russia's North Caucasus republic of North Ossetia.
