Moldovan authorities take several actions to block outbreak of African swine fever

Chisinau, 3 November /MOLDPRES/- Authorities have taken several actions to block the outbreak of African swine fever detected in animals in the households in Palanca village, Stefan Voda district. The director of the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA), Gheorghe Gaberi, made the statement today.

At the first suspicion, samples of pathological material were collected and sent to the Republican Centre for Veterinary Diagnostics, which confirmed African swine fever.

“The government was immediately informed. Subsequently, Prime Minister Pavel Filip issued an order to all the state institutions that manage the transport sector to get involved in blocking the outbreak. At the same time, an extraordinary meeting of the district commission on emergencies was convened in Stefan Voda and approved a complex plan of measures for the prevention of the disease in Palanca during the risk period. Also, we will take action in the districts at the border with Ukraine, where this disease comes from. We find that the disease has reached the country due to the non-observance of the import restrictions in Moldova”, Gaberi said.

Presently, disinfection and pest control is carried out at the places where the affected animals have been maintained and the pigs are placed under the sanitary-veterinary observation. “At the same time, control over the movement and trafficking of pigs and products derived from them has been intensified. The local people, especially pig owners are trained in respecting the bio-security rules applied in holdings”, Gaberi said.

For his part, ANSA deputy head Vsevolod Stamati said that in Palanca village, the movement of animals and their products will be forbidden for 60 days. “There were 333 pigs in the locality, seven of which died, eight were destroyed, a case of suspicion occurred this morning, and two other pigs are sick. The Republican Veterinary Diagnostic Centre is to organize the operative reception and analysis of the samples”, Stamati said.

This year, swine fever was confirmed in Soroca, Edinet and Donduseni districts. According to specialists, the disease affects domestic and wild pigs. The virus is not transmitted to humans, but can cause large losses to pig breeders.

 (Reporter A. Ciobanu, editor L. Alcază)