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African Swine Fever Spreads in Serbia; Over 50 Households Affected in Provo
🇷🇸 Serbia /Disasters & Emergencies

African Swine Fever Spreads in Serbia; Over 50 Households Affected in Provo

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • African swine fever has been confirmed in over 50 households in the village of Provo, near Šabac, Serbia.
  • The virus, for which there is no cure, has led to the culling of approximately 500 pigs in Provo over ten days, leaving a third of pigsties empty.
  • Authorities are implementing bio-security measures and have banned the transport and sale of pigs from affected areas to prevent further spread.

African swine fever is spreading rapidly in the Šabac region of Serbia, with more than 50 households in the village of Provo now confirmed to have the virus. The highly contagious disease, which has no known cure, has already resulted in the culling of around 500 pigs in Provo within a mere ten days, leaving a significant portion of local pigsties empty.

Radio-Television Serbia (RTS) reports that authorities are intensifying efforts to contain the outbreak. This includes deploying additional personnel and machinery to the affected areas. "We are absolutely following the law – everything! We have now procured specialized trucks, which we didn't have before, and we have been burying [the animals] at a depth of three meters. Disinfection, all bio-security measures have been taken. Everything that was within our capabilities," stated Vladan Milošević, head of the Emergency Situations Staff for the Municipality of Vladimirci.

We are absolutely following the law – everything! We have now procured specialized trucks, which we didn't have before, and we have been burying [the animals] at a depth of three meters. Disinfection, all bio-security measures have been taken. Everything that was within our capabilities.

— Vladan MiloševićHead of the Emergency Situations Staff for the Municipality of Vladimirci, describing the measures taken to combat the swine fever outbreak.

The virus has spread from Provo to the territories of Šabac and Ub. Nikola Milutinović, director of VSI Šabac, urged all producers to implement strict bio-security measures. "This includes how one enters the economic parts of the household, closing pigs in their enclosures, adhering to all prescribed legal measures, and most importantly, the transport ban. Banning the sale and purchase of pigs from these infected and endangered areas is the only way we can prevent the further spread of the disease," he emphasized.

Early detection and reporting of any changes in animal health to a veterinarian are crucial. Pig farmers whose animals are culled and marked with an ear tag are eligible for compensation.

This includes how one enters the economic parts of the household, closing pigs in their enclosures, adhering to all prescribed legal measures, and most importantly, the transport ban. Banning the sale and purchase of pigs from these infected and endangered areas is the only way we can prevent the further spread of the disease.

— Nikola MilutinovićDirector of VSI Šabac, appealing to producers to implement bio-security measures and highlighting the importance of the transport ban.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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