Probe Launched into ASF Outbreak in South Russia

RUSSIA - Investigators have launched a probe into an outbreak of swine fever in southern Russia, the second to hit the region this year, an aide to the head of the local investigation department said on Monday.

26 March 2009

3 minute read

Pigs began to die at the Lenin farm in the village of Kievka, in the Apanasenkovsky District on 15 March and preliminary tests suggested an outbreak of the disease. Further tests on Thursday confirmed the deaths had been caused by African swine fever, reports RIA Novosti.

"A pre-investigation probe is currently being held," Yekaterina Danilova said, adding that investigators were concentrating on possible infringements of veterinary regulations.

The area has been quarantined, and the Emergency Situations Ministry has set up a local headquarters to control the spread of the virus. A total of 189 pigs were culled to prevent the disease from spreading.

South Russian District Quarantined

Vets in south Russia's Stavropol Territory have quarantined a district that has seen two outbreaks of swine fever in the past two weeks, the region's chief vet said today.

Yesterday, a total of 15 pigs died at a private farm in the village of Divnoye in the Apanasenkovsky District. In another village in the district, 189 pigs were culled to prevent the disease from spreading.

This is the second outbreak of African swine fever in the region this year. In January, the virus was confirmed at a farm in the Kursky District. As a result, 2,600 pigs were slaughtered. Some 5,000 pigs were also culled or died from the virus last summer in Russia's North Ossetia.