REUTERS
The number of ASF cases in Ukraine in 2018 decreased by 13% from 2017, to 145 outbreaks.
Ukraine's State Food Safety and Consumer Protection Service says veterinary experts have reported new African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in Donetsk, Kherson, and Kharkiv regions.
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In particular, the ASF cases were registered in the said regions for the reporting period of June 6-26, according to the agency's press service.
Lab tests conducted by experts confirmed the animals had been infected there.
It is noted that measures are being taken to contain and prevent the spread of the ASF pathogen.
According to the forecast by the State Food Safety and Consumer Protection Service published in January 2017, if the current trend of the ASF spread continued, Ukraine would lose over 1.2 million pigs worth a total of UAH 4 billion (about US$153 million) by 2020, while indirect losses would increase by an estimated amount of between UAH 5 billion-UAH 7.5 billion (US$191 million – US$287 million).
The number of ASF cases in Ukraine in 2018 decreased by 13% from 2017, to 145 outbreaks, reads the report.
UNIAN memo. African swine fever (Montgomery disease) is a contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs. The disease bears no threat to humans. The virus is transmitted by direct contact between sick and healthy animals, through pork products, and also transmitted by ticks and mechanically (by vehicles during transportation of people and animals). There are no vaccines against the virus. Almost all infected pigs die. The virus is destroyed by heating to extremely high temperatures.