Last autumn, African swine fever was discovered for the first time in wild boar in Sweden.
Since then, the fight against it has achieved great success. TV4 Nyheterna was the first media to follow along during the autopsy in the infected zone.
– We are going to look for carcasses from wild boar. But probably and hopefully we won’t find anything, says Leif Fogelberg, hunter.
Large gates and fences block the way into the forest. Inside is the core area of the infected zone. The first cases of African swine fever were discovered here last autumn.
When the area was fenced off, it was forbidden for the public to stay inside it. But in February the restrictions eased and in October they may be completely gone. Now the hopefully last cadaver searches in the area begin.
Hope not to find any infected pigs
Leif Fogelberg was involved and found one of the very first infected wild boars. Since then, he has participated in the Swedish Agricultural Agency’s work to fight the plague and is one of about twenty hunters who during the day look for signs of infection in the demarcated area.
– We are going to look for carcasses from wild boar. But probably and hopefully we won’t find anything, he says.
If you find a wild boar that has recently died, it must be tested. If the cause of death is African swine fever, it indicates that the infection is still active in the area.
– We can apply for an exemption at the earliest one year after the last wild boar has died, so it is important for us to know how old the carcasses are. If we find a fresh carcass, we have to postpone the release, says Helena Sixtensdotter, official veterinarian for the operation.
Record-breaking combat
In total, all 13,000 hectares in the core area will be searched, and the operation will take place during most of May.
If nothing new is discovered, the area can be declared free of infection in October, just over a year after the first cases were discovered, which would be the fastest fight against an African swine fever outbreak in Europe.
– We have previously had various exercises together with the hunting association and other actors. There were also contingency plans for an outbreak that we were able to follow. Now we will be able to evaluate and improve those plans before a new outbreak, which we pretty much agree will happen in Sweden, says Helena Sixtensdotter, appointed official veterinarian for the operation in Fagersta.
No new findings
In the infected zone, only one find is made throughout the day and it is an old carcass that does not indicate any new infection. Leif Fogelberg hopes to get the forest back soon.
– I live next door to the area, so I haven’t been able to walk in the woods on the other side of the lawn since last fall. It’s nice to be back, says Leif Fogelberg.