Research centre near initial African swine fever outbreak under scrutiny

During the first nine days of the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in Catalonia, the prevailing theory was that contaminated cured meat discarded in the mountains of Collserola Natural Park had sparked the infections.

But on Friday, a striking statement from Spain's Agriculture Minister shifted focus to what had previously been dismissed as a conspiracy theory: a potential lab leak.

Immediately, all eyes turned to IRTA-CrESA, a research centre that works directly with the virus and is the only laboratory in Catalonia to do so.

Its headquarters are located less than a kilometre from where the first dead and infected wild boars were discovered.

A genomic analysis of the virus from the infected wild boars revealed that it is not the same strain currently circulating in Europe, but is "very similar" to a 2007 strain from Georgia, specifically one used in laboratories.

This has become the main working theory for both the Spanish and Catalan governments, with parallel investigations being conducted by the Guardia Civil and the Mossos d’Esquadra.

On Saturday, during a meeting at the crisis command centre, Catalan president Salvador Illa announced an audit of the five IRTA-CrESA facilities within the 20-kilometre ASF risk perimeter.

"We cannot rule anything out, and as a minimum precaution we are auditing the facilities and reviewing protocols," Illa said. He stressed his "confidence" in the research centre but emphasised that no hypotheses regarding the outbreak’s origin can yet be confirmed or dismissed.

Illa also described the government's response as "extremely swift," adding that containment measures "are operating at a very high level."

Thirteen wild boars infected

On Friday evening, Rural Agents confirmed that two more wild boars had been found dead and infected with ASF.

In total, thirteen wild boars have tested positive, while the number of dead animals sent for analysis has risen to 52.

Authorities noted that all infected and dead wild boars were found within the initial six-kilometre high-risk radius.

Officials say there is a "high probability" that all wild boars within this zone are infected and will progressively die.

Regarding the second 20-kilometre perimeter, authorities expect that infected wild boars are likely to appear there over time and are considering the creation of a third containment zone.