Finland steps up measures to contain African swine fever

Finland is offering hunters 500 euros for wild boar samples collected outside the infected area, raising the reward tenfold as African swine fever spreads in the southeast.

The government said it would increase monitoring, sampling and operational measures. It may also fence the core infection area if necessary. Hunting will be permitted in protected areas and national parks to help contain the disease.

African swine fever does not affect humans, but it can kill pigs and wild boar, with a mortality rate close to 100 percent. Finland detected its first infected dead wild boars in late July. By August 28, the Finnish Food Authority had recorded 36 cases in southeastern Finland.

The authority recently expanded the infected zone and had already enlarged the core area where hunting and forestry operations face restrictions. Some restrictions in the larger zone were loosened on Tuesday, while stricter rules remained in force in the core zone. The government also expected to provide funding for measures addressing the disease's economic impact.

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I am pleased that the entire government acknowledged that combating African swine fever is our shared challenge and also set out guidelines for addressing it.