African swine fever virus

Greece has banned imports of pork from its northern Balkan neighbor Bulgaria due to outbreaks of African swine fever, Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva said on Friday.

Greece has introduced a high level of border control with Bulgaria to prevent the spread of African swine fever.

The Agrarian Ministry, as well as all food control services, are paying close attention to the spread of African swine fever in Bulgaria and Romania.

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BNSA) found two new outbreaks in private farms in the city of Iskar, Iskar municipality, Pleven and Klimentovo, Polski Trambesh, Veliko Tarnovo. In both farms there were nearly 30 pigs.

EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis is deeply disappointed by the Bulgarian authorities for their actions in relation to African swine fever.

Veterinary experts from the European Commission arrive in Bulgaria on July 23. The inspectors check whether the measures taken by our country against the spread of African swine fever are adequate and timely.

Outbreaks of the African swine fever have been found in more than ten regions in Bulgaria.

State of emergency has been declared on July 23 on the territory of Bulgaria's Rousse District (northern Bulgaria) in relation to the spread of African swine fever after the infection has entered one of the largest pig farms in the area. The business is pushing for stricter measures and state help to counteract the problem.

The virus is not dangerous for the people, Dr. Alexandra Miteva is categorical, writes NOVA TV. 

Some 17,000 pigs will be culled in an industrial farm in the village of Nikolovo, near Bulgaria's Rousse. An outbreak of African swine fever was found there on Saturday, reports BNT.

The culled animals will be buried in the region of the farm. Incoming and outgoing people and vehicles are subject to disinfection.

Representatives of the emergency veterinary team of the European Commission will be in Bulgaria from tomorrow to 25 July to assess the situation with the distribution of African swine fever in domestic and wild pigs in Bulgaria, announced the Bulgarian National Television by the European Commission.

Bulgarian Food Safety Agency on Saturday confirmed the first outbreak of African swine fever in an industrial farm in the country.

A total of about 17,000 pigs are fattened in the farm, which is located in the village of Nikolovo near Danube River in Ruse Region, the agency said in a statement.