Two suspected hotbeds of swine fever were identified in the villages Mosana and Cernoleuca of Donduseni district. The problem was discussed in an emergency meeting called by Prime Minister Pavel Filip. The members of the Commission for Emergencies of the Republic of Moldova discussed the measures that must be taken to prevent the spread of African swine fever on Moldova’s territory, IPN reports.
Specialists informed that the samples taken from deceased animals were sent to an accredited lab in Spain and the results are expected to become available on September 28. It is presumed that the virus was brought by the import of meat products from Ukraine, where a number of cases of infection with African swine fever were reported.
Pavel Filip requested the authorities to show maximum responsibility and mobilization and to take all the required measures to prevent the spread of the virus in Moldova. “I ask to adopt a very serious approach. The virus can affect whole industries, from pig breeding to meat processing and fodder cultivation. We must adopt a concrete plan of measures that will define the responsibilities of each institution apart,” he stated.
As a result of discussions, the Commission for Emergencies approved a plan of measures for preventing the spread of swine fever on Moldova’s territory. This provides, among others, that the National Food Safety Agency will coordinate the actions and will allocate the money needed for carrying out activities to control the virus. The authorities will perform inspections at border crossing points to prevent the introduction of temporarily banned products of animal origin into Moldova.
To maximally reduce the infection possibilities, a broad campaign will be carried out to inform the population about the possible risks and the measures that must be taken when hotbeds of swine fever are detected.
African swine fever is a contagious disease that affects domestic and wild species of pigs. The virus is not passed to humans, but can cause huge economic losses.
