The number of African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in pigs and cases reported in wild boars in the European Union (EU) decreased considerably in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to a new report published today by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The disease has been notified in eight EU countries in pigs and eleven EU countries in wild boars.

Dramatic impact

"Over the past decade, African swine fever has had a dramatic impact on the EU pig farming sector and continues to disrupt local and regional economies.

While our latest report shows encouraging signs that efforts to stop the spread of the virus may be having an effect, the picture in the EU is far from universally positive and we must remain vigilant. Farmers, hunters and veterinarians have a particularly important role to play in reporting suspected cases," said Bernhard Url, Executive Director of EFSA.

In 2022, ASF outbreaks among domestic pigs in the EU decreased by 79% compared to 2021. The decrease was particularly marked in Romania, Poland and Bulgaria. Lithuania, on the contrary, saw a slight increase caused by a group of outbreaks detected in the summer in the southwestern part of the country.

Eight EU countries (Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia) and four neighboring non-EU countries (Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine) have reported outbreaks in domestic pigs.

Romania was the most affected country in the EU, with 327 outbreaks, representing 87% of the total outbreaks in the EU. Serbia was the worst-affected non-EU country included in the report, with 107 outbreaks. ASF was notified for the first time in North Macedonia.

For wild boars, 40% fewer cases were reported in the EU during 2022 compared to 2021. This is the first decrease in ASF cases in wild boars in the area since its introduction in 2014.

Eleven EU Member States (Czech Republic, Estonia and Hungary in addition to Member States with outbreaks among domestic pigs) and four non-EU countries (Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine) have notified cases of ASF in wild boars.

EFSA's StopASF campaign has been extended

To support ongoing efforts to control the spread of the virus, EFSA is expanding its StopASF campaign in 2023. The campaign raises awareness among farmers, hunters and veterinarians in the EU and neighboring countries on how to detect, prevent and report ASF.

Now in its fourth year, EFSA's StopASF campaign encourages commercial and backyard farmers, veterinarians and hunters to "detect, prevent and report" cases of ASF. The campaign relies on the assistance of local farmer groups.

The program is run in partnership with local authorities in eighteen countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia.