Update on African swine feversituation in the EU

Bernard Van Goethem

Directorate G - Crisis preparedness in

food, animals and plants

DG SANTE, European Commission

2

ASF in Asia and the Pacific

1. China (Aug 2018)

2. Mongolia (Jan 2019)

3. Vietnam (Feb 2019)

4. Cambodia (March 2019)

5. Hong Kong (May 2019)

6. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (May 2019)

7. Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Jun 2019)

8. Myanmar (Aug 2019)

9. The Philippines (Jul 2019)

10. Republic of Korea (Sep 2019)

11. Timor-Leste (Sep 2019)

12. Indonesia (Nov 2019)

13. Papua New Guinea (Mar 2020)

14. India (May 2020)

15. Malaysia (Feb 2021)

16. Buthan (May 2021)

ASF in the Dominican Republic

• ASF still spreading worldwide in July

2021 first outbreak notified in domestic pigs

in the Dominican Republic

• EU offered assistance through the OIE

(EUVET experts)

• Currently half of the provinces are

positive for ASF

• High risk of further spread to other

countries (American and beyond)

• Awareness on ASF must remain high as

it represents a continuous global risk for

the pig sector, but also for the feral pig

populations, biodiversity and the

environment

1. Lithuania (1/2014)

2. Poland (1/2014)

3. Latvia (6/2014)

4. Estonia (7/2015)- 1 single outbreak in 2021 after 3 years

5. Romania (7/2017)

6. Hungary (4/2018) – only in wild boar

7. Bulgaria (6/2018)

8. Slovakia (7/2019)

9. Greece (2/2020) – only one outbreak in pigs

10. Germany (9/2020) –close to PL border

11. Sardinia, IT – unrelated epidemiological situation

ASF in the EU in 2014-2021

Czechia – 6/2017, free from ASF since 02/2019

Belgium – 9/2018, free from ASF since 11/2020 ASF in the EU in 2021 (up to 27/8/2021)

ASF outbreaks in domestic pigs

ASF cases in wild boar

* ADIS – Animal Diseases Notification System

ASF in the EU: 2019-2021

No

ADIS*

data up to

27/8/2021

1. POLAND

2. LITHUANIA

3. LATVIA

4. ESTONIA

5. ROMANIA

6. HUNGARY

7. BULGARIA

8. BELGIUM

9. ITALY (Sardinia)

10. SLOVAKIA

11. GREECE

12. GERMANY

TOTAL

2021

Cases

wild boar

Outbreaks

domestic pigs

2147 71

102 -

195 2

44 1

850 1119

2499 -

194 4

- -

5 -

1380 7

- -

1466 3

8884 1207

2020

Cases

wild boar

Outbreaks

domestic pigs

4156 103

230 3

320 3

68 -

906 1060

4052 -

533 19

3 -

42 -

388 17

- 1

403 -

11101 1206

2019

Cases

wild boar

Outbreaks

domestic pigs

2477 48

464 19

369 1

80 -

693 1728

1605 -

165 44

482 -

63 1

27 11

- -

- -

6425 1852

Belgium free from ASF

09.2018-08.2019 since 01.08.2019 • Urgent response

• Tailor made hunting

wild boar

management

• Active search of

carcasses

• Fencing

• Coordination and

close cooperation at

all levels

• No outbreaks in pigs

ASF in Germany• ASF occurrence:

• in wild boar, since September 2020, almost

2000 cases, confined in two Landers at the

border with Poland (Brandenburg and Saxony)

• In domestic pigs, in July 2021, three

outbreaks in Brandenburg (blue circles)

• Measures in place as per EU legislation

and guidelines

Only a very limited area of Germany is affected!

Only 3 outbreaks were notified in small establishments

of domestic pigs, and quickly contained!

Zoning is in place!

• Worrying evolution of the situation in

Poland, in domestic pigs and wild

boar

• High number of cases and outbreaks

in the three main clusters North,

South and West (blue circles)

• In July 2021 ASF was notified in

central regions of Poland in new

areas in domestic pigs, far from

previously recognised clusters (red

circle)

• Further enlargement of ASF related

restrictions might be needed in due

course

ASF in Poland

• Preparedness

• Scientific advice (EFSA)

• Network of labs (+ EURL)

• Research

• Legislation (horizontal + specific)

• EU Guidelines

• Zoning (Regionalization)

• Border controls

• Audits

• Financial support

• Training (BTSF)

• Public awareness

• Urgent intervention (EUVET)

• International cooperation

• GF-TADS

Main EU initiatives on ASFhttps://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-192783

17 January 2020, Berlin (Germany) International Green Week

https://ec.europa.eu/info/events/high-level-international-conference-2020-jan-17_en

23 March 2021, WTO SPS CommitteeThematic session on ASF (remote)

The SPS Committee held a thematic session onAfrican swine fever based on a proposalsubmitted by the European Union

150 participants, including WTO Members fromAfghanistan to Zimbabwe, WTO, FAO, OIE and EC

Representatives from the EC, Belgium andGermany presented on EU zoning and specialASF control measures adopted to ensure safetrade.

Conclusions: international cooperation,recognition of OIE international standards andzoning are critical tools to guarantee safe tradeeven when ASF is present

https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/sps_thematic_session_230321_e.htm

From 21 April 2021:

New Implementing Regulation

• Restricted zone I (‘an additional further restricted

zone’) – zone, bordering zone II or III, where

relevant (no ASF)

• Restricted zone II (‘an infected zone’) – ASF in wild

boar

• Restricted zone III (‘a further restricted zone’, in

addition to PZ/SZ) – ASF in domestic pigs (with or

without ASF in wild boar)

EU zoning measures for ASF

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In line with

OIE!

• The EU legislation foresees strict measures to apply zoning:

• based on science;

• fully in line with the international standards (e.g. OIE)

• in areas affected - risk mitigation measures

• Business continuity:

• the negative impact of animal diseases is reduced (safe trade from non-restricted areas, safe

derogations for affected areas, etc.)

• Proven to be effective to prevent/control/slow down the spread of diseases

• eradication in certain situations: Czech Republic, Belgium

• Recognized internationally and by certain trading partners

EU zoning measures = guaranty for safe trade

13

• Sustainability of pig farming in the EU and globally

• Backyard/small-scale farms

• Wild boar management (appropriate reduction)

• High density in certain areas

• Absence of the vaccine against ASF and certain other scientific / research

gaps

• Risk of ASF introduction by international travelers and human mediated

‘jumps’

• Recognition of international principles of zoning by some trading partners

Main challenges

• in Asia since 2018 ASF has been rapidly spreading in wide

areas and in many countries. Recently arrived in domestic pigs

in the Caribbean region (Dominican Republic July 2021).

• in the EU for almost ten years (since 2014) ASF has been kept

under control

• It remains a challenge in certain/limited areas/zoning/MS (zoning

applied!)

• Small - scale (backyard) farms

• ASF control and eradication in wild boar in wide areas

Conclusions

• EU has a knowledge and expertise to control and eradicate ASF

• in wild boar: ASF has been eradicated from CZ and BE

• in domestic pigs: many good examples exist in the EU

• Overarching EU animal health control = guaranty for safe trade

• no outbreaks of diseases caused through (legal) trade (intra-EU

or to other trading partners)!

Thank you

© European Union 2020

Unless otherwise noted the reuse of this presentation is authorised under the CC BY 4.0 license. For any use or reproduction of elements that are

not owned by the EU, permission may need to be sought directly from the respective right holders.

Dedicated ASF website of the Commission:

https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/animal-diseases/control-measures/asf_en

Interactive tool of EU zoning for ASF:

https://santegis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=45cdd657542a437c84bfc9cf1846ae8c