ASF virus found in wild boars in Belgorod region's Alexeyevka district
BELGOROD. June 3 (Interfax) - An outbreak of the African swine fever virus (ASFV) in Russia's largest pig-farming region (around 25% of Russia's total pig count) has been registered in a wooded area in the Alexeyevka district, Belgorod region, a source familiar with the situation told Interfax on Tuesday.
The Russian Research Institute of Veterinary Virology and Microbiology said in an earlier report that the virus was detected after pathologists tested the samples taken from seven boars on June 1.
The ASFV was first registered in the Belgorod region last July: the virus was found in dead animals on a small farm. A criminal inquiry was launched into the outbreak in the Krasnogvardeisky district, where the outbreak had been registered and quarantine imposed. The regional authorities decided to buy out pigs from small farms whose veterinary protection was below level III (60 rubles per one kilogram of live weight), and replace the pigs with other types of animal or poultry.
In the same month, the Russian agriculture watchdog (Rosselkhoznadzor) said the ASFV outbreak in the region had been stopped.
An ASFV outbreak in the Belgorod region is especially dangerous because the region is home to large industrial pig farming facilities of Russia's leading agrarian holding companies.
