According to Reuters, Germany’s federal agriculture ministry confirmed the outbreaks on Monday 21 September. The new discoveries bring total confirmed ASF cases to 20 since the first case reported on 10 September. All were found close to the first case and involve wild boar. No farm animals have been affected.

Germany's Friedrich-Loeffler scientific institute had confirmed the latest seven animals had ASF, the ministry said.

China and a series of other pork buyers banned imports of German pork in past days after the first case was confirmed.

The disease is not dangerous to humans but it is fatal to pigs and a massive outbreak in China, the world's biggest pork producer, has led to hundreds of millions of pigs being culled.

The ministry had warned on Thursday 17 September that more cases in wild boar are to be expected as the animals move around in groups and the disease is easily transferable.

Prices for breeding (weaner) piglets in Germany have fallen sharply in past weeks following the discovery of ASF in the country, traders said on Monday 21 September.

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