During the current week, several dead wild boars have been found in Sweden. The authorities’ assumption is that all the deaths are due to swine fever, which has been observed for the first time in Sweden.
Swedish public broadcasting company according to SVT More dead wild boars have been found in Västmanland county on Saturday. Yesterday, Friday, a dead wild boar was found in Södermanland, south of Stockholm.
In Sweden, about twenty hunters have participated in the search for sick or dead wild boars in the forest areas of Fagersta on Saturday.
– We have found more dead wild boars in the forest today. The specimens are on their way to be examined by a veterinarian from the Swedish State Veterinary Institute (SVA). Karin Olofsson-Sannö says to SVT.
So far, it has not been confirmed whether the animals found dead in recent days have been infected with African swine fever. The results of the samples taken from the pigs have to be waited for a few days.
According to Olofsson-Sannö, the authorities’ assumption is that all deaths are caused by swine fever.
The first cases of swine fever were found in Sweden on Wednesday near Fagersta in central Sweden, about 150 kilometers from Stockholm. At that time, seven dead wild boars were found in the area. African swine fever has not been found in Sweden before.
In Finland’s neighboring regions, it has been observed before in Estonia and Russia. The spread of swine fever to production pigs in Finland would mean large renovation costs and loss of income.
African swine fever is not contagious to humans.