A new hotbed of African swine fever in wild boars was reported in the natural reserve “Domnească Forest” that is situated along the Prut in the western districts of Glodeni and Fălești. Specialists confirmed 35 cases of infection in wild boars found dead.

Contacted by IPN for details, Vitalie Carauş, head of the Animal Health and Welfare Division of the National Food Safety Agency, said the hotbed recorded two days ago is a follow-up to the hotbed of the end of last month, when the virus was detected in the found 15 bodies of animals.

“There were found 35 bodies in the border zone with Romania, where the population does not have access. That area is monitored by the Border Police, which informed us about the bodies. The animals could have died a week ago as some of the bodies are in a state of putrefaction. The given area will be in quarantine for 45 days. Sanitary-veterinary measures to eradicate the hotbeds by burying the bodies and disinfecting the place were taken,” noted Vitalie Carauş.

He also said that the protection zone and the surveillance zone were delimited and the animal owners’ access to the area was restricted.

African swine fever is not dangerous to humans, but spreads rapidly among pigs. If the virus is confirmed, the animals are killed to prevent the spread of infection.