Pig Disease Hits Georgia

The devastating pig disease, African Swine Fever (ASF), has hit Georgia, and threatens to spread to neighboring countries, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on June 8.  
 
African Swine Fever, which is highly contagious among pigs, results in high pig mortality, as there is no vaccine against the disease. It does not, however, affect humans.
 
Georgian officials said the outbreaks started in late April in 10 different regions. At least 20,000 pigs in villages and commercial farms have been slaughtered.
 
?The incursion of ASF is of great concern for Georgia and its neighboring countries. Delayed detection of the virus has resulted in a long danger period where the disease has been unrecognized and the virus could have moved to neighboring countries. Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation should be on high alert,? Jan Slingenbergh, FAO Senior Animal Health Officer, said.

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia have already banned the import of meat products from Georgia.

It is thought that the virus entered Georgia through imported frozen or processed pig meat.

The European Union, the World Organization for Animal Health and FAO will send a joint team of experts to Georgia in the next fews days to assess the situation and advise the government on immediate control measures, an FAO spokesman said.

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