Ukraine hit with African swine fever

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed 15 pigs were killed by the disease. A further 14 have since been destroyed by the farmer in an attempt to control the spread of the disease which causes haemorrhagic fever in pigs.

The outbreak was discovered on a small backyard farm in the village of Voynivka, which is about 50 miles from the Russian border. The pig farmer is said to have lost his entire pork livestock to the disease.
OIE reported that it was the first time ASF has been deteced in the Kirovograd region. 

Tightened controls​

A cause of the outbreak has not been found but a spokesman for the OIE confirmed “investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the outbreak​”. The Paris-based animal health body also said it believed that Ukrainian health officials have “taken all the necessary measures to control this outbreak​”.

Disease control measures put in place by Ukraine include the placement of a quarantine around the ASF-hit farm, as well as tightened controls on the movement of livestock inside the country.

A report on the cause of the disease is expected to be delivered by Ukrainian veterinary health officials as soon as their investigation on the farm and neighbouring ones has been concluded.