Hungary’s hog stocks threatened by African swine fever

Hungary’s farm ministry has warned of the danger of African swine fever after the virus was identified in the corpse of a wild boar near the country’s border with Ukraine.

The ministry noted in a statement on Friday that the disease is extremely dangerous for pigs and wild boar and is incurable.

The statement notes that ASF turned up on Europe’s shores for the first time in 2014 and it spread very fast in the Baltics, Poland and Ukraine. Any eventual spread to Hungary could be devastating, given the country’s thriving hog industry. The country’s chief vet has called on all livestock farmers, hunters and residents to take preventive measures to ensure the virus does not spread in the country, the ministry added.

Source: MTI