African swine fever outbreak spreads in Finland

Finnish authorities have confirmed a new case of African swine fever (ASF) in a wild boar found dead in Hirvikoski, Pyhtää, prompting an expansion of the disease control zone in southeastern Finland.

The Finnish Food Authority said tests completed on August 28 confirmed the infection, Caliber.Az reports, citing Finnish media.

The remains of an adult wild boar were found in a field about 40 kilometres west of the previous boundary of the ASF-infected zone.

Following the finding, the Finnish Food Authority amended its decision on the infected zone.

While the zone’s geographical boundaries have been expanded, its core area remains unchanged for now.

The revised zone covers the municipalities of Kotka, Hamina and Pyhtää in their entirety, as well as parts of Loviisa, Lapinjärvi and Kouvola.

located south of the boundary extending west to east from the Gulf of Finland along the Koskenkylänjoki River to the Porvoo motorway (E18). From there, the boundary follows main road 6 to Elimäki, continues along Elimäentie (road 354) to Inkeroinen and then follows the railway to the Kotka municipal boundary.

The new area is currently subject to restrictions concerning pigs and wild boar, as well as their meat, meat products and germinal products. Hunting is also prohibited within the expanded zone.

Authorities have additionally imposed restrictions on feeding wild animals. Feeding wild boar in the wild is prohibited unless organised by the Finnish Food Authority. Feeding other wild animals is also banned unless the method prevents wild boar from accessing the feed or uses feed that does not attract them.

Bait feeding of wild animals is also prohibited.

The restrictions governing access to the infected zone under the previous decision do not currently apply to the newly added area. Finnish authorities are expected to decide on additional restrictions for the expanded zone next week and will also assess whether measures in the existing part of the infected zone need to be revised.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov