Spanish authorities are mobilizing resources to control the African swine fever epidemic, detected near Barcelona, which threatens pork exports.

The African swine fever epidemic has been detected in the municipality of Bellaterra, near Barcelona, and Spanish authorities have mobilized hundreds of police officers, forest rangers, and military personnel to limit the spread of the virus. It is suspected that the virus was brought by a wild boar that consumed contaminated feed. A 6 km exclusion zone has been established around the locality, and specialists are investigating other potential cases. The Minister of Agriculture of Catalonia, Òscar Ordeig, stated that 117 members of the emergency military unit have been sent to the area for disinfection and monitoring.

Spain's pork industry, which generates 8.8 billion euros in annual revenue, is under threat, and Agriculture Minister Luis Planas assured that the government is working to minimize the impact of the epidemic on exports. China has suspended imports from the province of Barcelona but accepts meat from other unaffected areas. African swine fever, harmless to humans, is fatal to pigs and can be transmitted through direct contact or contaminated meat products.