Spanish agriculture ministry confirms three more African swine fever cases, totalling 16

The Spanish agriculture ministry has confirmed that three new cases of African swine fever were identified on Friday. The new cases increase the total to 16.

The carcasses of the three wild boars found in the initial containment zone were sent to a laboratory in Madrid. According to the Spanish government, 115 more wild boar carcasses have tested negative.

Authorities confirm that no cases have been recorded at any of the 55 farms checked within the 20-kilometre risk zone.

Officials are calling for high alert to be maintained and for strict biosecurity measures to continue on farms and in wild boar management.

Natural-area access ban to be eased

The Catalan government will ease the ban on access to natural areas in the second risk zone – the area between 6 and 20 kilometres from the centre of the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak – from Monday, December 15.

Agriculture Minister Òscar Ordeig told reporters in Lleida on Friday that organised outdoor leisure activities will continue to be restricted, but citizens will be allowed to enter the forest "to walk or cycle on their own."

"We're trying to avoid large crowds in the area, but we will relax some restrictions," he said.

Residents in municipalities in affected zones are currently barred from entering natural parks, wooded areas, riverbanks, meadows and farmland located outside urban centres.

Meanwhile, the municipalities closest to the outbreak will remain under the same restrictions: Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barberà del Vallès, Badia del Vallès, Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, Ripollet, Montcada i Reixac, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Sant Quirze del Vallès, Sabadell, Polinyà, Terrassa, and Rubí.

The Catalan agriculture minister,  Òscar Ordeig, had already said that the government is considering reducing by half the wild boar population across the territory, which is currently estimated at between 125,000 and 180,000. The figure depends on the time of the year and the breeding season.

Economic support 

The Unió de Pagesos and Asaja farmers' unions have said that African swine fever is causing losses of €24 million per week across Spain. For them, the €10 million in financial aid announced by the Catalan government is "insufficient."

"This will not be enough, and we will continue pushing for new subsidies based on the sector's needs,” said Rossend Saltiveri, head of the pork sector at Unió de Pagesos, after a meeting at the Palau de la Generalitat in Barcelona on Tuesday.

On Monday, slaughterhouses started receiving the first pigs from farms located within the containment zone. Meat from the 35,600 pigs will be sold domestically for human consumption, as exports are not permitted.