African swine fever (ASF) has been diagnosed for the first time in Germany and poses no risk to humans, but has led to the eradication of a significant number of pigs worldwide, the country’s agriculture minister, Julia Kleckner, said.
The disease has been detected in feral pigs in the federal state of Brandenburg, which covers Berlin. “Unfortunately, our suspicions have been confirmed,” Kleckner said in a statement.
Local officials say a special zone within a 15-kilometer radius around the place where the ASF-infected wild boar was found will be announced to prevent the spread of ASF in Germany.
The ASF has caused great concern to the agricultural sector and Germany is now facing a possible ban on pork exports.
Germany has joined a long list of European countries, including Belgium, Hungary, Poland and Romania, where ASF cases have been detected this year.
African swine fever is not a dangerous disease for humans, but the infection is fatal for pigs. There is no vaccine against it.
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