A recent development in Sweden has raised concerns as the country has reported its first case of African swine fever in a deceased wild boar, according to Sweden’s Veterinary Institute. Although this virus poses no direct threat to human health, it is extremely contagious and fatal to domestic pigs and wild boars. African swine fever has been gradually spreading from Africa to Europe and Asia, causing significant disruptions in global meat markets and leading to the deaths of hundreds of millions of pigs.
The discovery was made when seven dead boars were found in Fagersta, located approximately 200 kilometers (124 miles) northwest of Stockholm. Further tests are being conducted to determine the extent of the infection. The Veterinary Institute has stated that they currently have no definitive information on how the virus entered Sweden, but they suspect human involvement rather than transmission through wild boars due to the considerable distance between the nearest infected area in Europe and the discovery site.
While African swine fever does not pose a risk to humans or other animal species, it can be transmitted via contaminated pork products or through the inadvertent transport of the virus on clothing, tools, or vehicles.
The appearance of African swine fever has already had significant consequences in other European countries. In Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia, outbreaks have forced pig breeders to cull thousands of pigs since June, resulting in economic losses for farmers. This has placed considerable pressure on governments to provide compensation for these losses and implement measures to contain the spread of the virus.
