Barcelona: African swine fever was discovered in two wild boars near Barcelona, marking the first confirmed cases of the virus in Spain since 1994, the Agriculture Ministry announced on Friday. The virus, which poses no threat to humans but has a high mortality rate among pigs and wild boar, could significantly impact Spain’s pork industry, the largest in the European Union, officials noted.

According to Anadolu Agency, the boars were found dead on Wednesday, just one kilometer apart, near the Autonomous University of Barcelona campus. The Catalan government’s agriculture minister, Oscar Ordeig, acknowledged the potential economic repercussions, describing them as ‘big,’ but emphasized the swift measures being taken.

Catalan officials have activated protocols to control the virus’s spread, including the suspension of pork and pork product exports. A 20-kilometer perimeter encompassing 39 farms has been established, with rural agents tasked with searching for additional dead wild boars.

Spain’s Agriculture Ministry stated that the virus entered the EU from Russia into the Baltic States and Poland in 2014, now affecting 13 other countries, including Italy and Germany. The ministry noted that countries like Belgium, Sweden, and the Czech Republic have successfully eradicated the virus through stringent control and surveillance measures in wild boar populations.

The European Food Safety Authority has indicated that eradicating the virus could take several years, as there are no vaccines or cures available. Affected areas suffer financial losses due to the death of animals, restrictions on the movement of pigs and wild boar, and the costs associated with control measures.

Spain is concurrently dealing with a major bird flu outbreak, having recently mandated that all farm birds be confined to prevent contact with wild birds.