The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry announced that it has received information from the Laboratory for Molecular Genetic and Forensic Testing of the Veterinary Institute of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Sarajevo about positive laboratory findings for African swine fever (ASF) for three pigs from domestic breeding on two farms in the area West Herzegovina County.
The report was also received from the Posušje Veterinary Station, which conducted the necropsy of the dead pigs, took samples and sent them for laboratory testing.
“The competent federal ministry undertook activities within its jurisdiction, and forwarded the submitted findings to the BiH Veterinary Office, which issued a revised Decision on the designation of an infected and threatened area due to the occurrence of African swine fever. Also, all cantonal veterinary inspectors and the cantonal ministry were informed of this , and invited to take increased surveillance and control measures. We hereby appeal to farm owners to take the measures provided for by law, as well as measures that will contribute to the improvement of biosecurity conditions on farms, and thus prevent the further spread of this highly contagious disease for pigs that can significantly produce losses for agricultural holdings engaged in pig farming,” the federal ministry said in a statement.
They remind that the Rulebook on measures for the control of African swine fever prescribes the measures that must be taken in the case of a confirmed case of African swine fever. In accordance with that rulebook, all animals on the infected farm must be harmlessly removed, as well as all substances and waste that are likely to be contaminated.
The rulebook provides for the implementation of an epidemiological investigation and a list of all farms and animals on which pigs are raised, which are located in the infected area (a three-kilometer circle) and a threatened area (a ten-kilometer circle), and to warn animal owners of the obligation of enhanced biosecurity measures on farms, as well as the ban on any type of transport and trade in pigs. Also, it is necessary to form a local disease control center consisting of representatives of the competent cantonal ministry, cantonal veterinary inspection, competent veterinary station, hunting society, and other institutions that are estimated to contribute to the prevention of the spread of this disease.
“African swine fever (ASF) is a viral infectious disease of domestic and wild pigs that is not dangerous for humans and other animals, it does not belong to zoonoses, so it cannot in any way be transmitted to humans and endanger their health,” the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry.
