African swine fever outbreak in Hungary: 3,000 pigs slaughtered

The veterinary health authorities in Hungary have confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever at a farm in the village of Vállaj, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, located near the border with Romania.

The culling of approximately 3,000 pigs began on Thursday, marking the first outbreak in domestic pigs in the country, which has a population of about 3 million animals. The President of the National Food Safety Office, Imre Nemes, stated that the culling of the animals will be completed in 3-4 days, and epidemiological investigations are underway to determine the source of the virus.

The authorities have established a protection zone of 3 kilometers and a surveillance zone of 10 kilometers, where clinical tests on pigs will be conducted. Although trade with the European Union is not affected, animals in the surveillance zone are subject to restrictions. African swine fever does not affect human health, and the pork products available in Hungary are safe for consumption.

The outbreak adds to the already complicated situation of the pig farming sector in Europe, including Romania, an important trading partner for Hungary in this field.