Preliminary tests have confirmed African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars in Virolahti, Eastern Finland. The Finnish Food Authority will verify the result with the EU’s reference laboratory for African swine fever in Spain. Measures to limit the spreading of the disease will be taken immediately. This is the first time that the disease has been detected in Finland. This disease is not contagious to humans.
The Finnish Food Authority has established an infection zone around the area where the finding was made, and the movement of pigs in the zone is restricted. The goal is to determine the prevalence of the disease in wild boars in the area and to prevent the disease from spreading elsewhere in Finland. You can find a map of the infection zone and the content of the current restrictions on the Finnish Food Authority’s website.
The virus causing African swine fever was detected in wild piglets that were found dead. The remains of three dead piglets were found by a local who delivered them to the Finnish Food Authority. The carcasses were found close to each other in Vaalimaa, Virolahti. A preliminary ASF virus finding was made in the Finnish Food Authority’s tests on Thursday 30 July.
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For more information, contact the Finnish Food Authority:
Sirpa Kiviruusu
Head of Unit
Animal Health and Medication Unit
tel. +358 40 092 0503
sirpa.kiviruusu@ruokavirasto.fi